Abstract
We typically observe a decrement in vigilance with time-on-task, which favors the propensity for mind-wandering, i.e., the shifting of attention from the task at hand to task-unrelated thoughts. Here, we examined participants’ mind-wandering, either intentional or unintentional, while performing vigilance tasks that tap different components of vigilance. Intentional mind-wandering is expected mainly when the arousal component is involved, whereas unintentional mind-wandering is expected mainly in tasks involving the executive component. The Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) assessed the arousal component, whereas the Sustained Attention to Response task (SART) assessed the executive component of vigilance. The two types of mind-wandering were probed throughout task execution. The results showed that the overall rate of mind-wandering was higher in the PVT than in the SART. Intentional mind-wandering was higher with the PVT than with the SART, whereas unintentional mind-wandering was higher with the SART than with the PVT. Regarding mind-wandering as a function of vigilance decrement with time-on-task, unintentional mind-wandering in the PVT increased between blocks 1 and 2 and then stabilized, whereas a progressive increase was observed in the SART. Regarding intentional mind-wandering, a progressive increase was only observed in the SART. The differential patterns of intentional and unintentional mind-wandering in both tasks suggest that, intentional mind wandering occurs mainly in arousal tasks in which propensity to mind-wander has little impact on task performance. However, unintentional mind-wandering occurs mainly in executive tasks as a result of a failure of cognitive control, which promotes attentional resources to be diverted toward mind-wandering. These results are discussed in the context of the resource-control model of mind-wandering.
Highlights
Mind-wandering refers to the process during which our attention shifts from an ongoing task to thoughts that are not linked to task performance
We analyzed the overall mind-wandering in each task to test whether the rate of mind-wandering changes when either an arousal or an executive component is involved in the vigilance task
We examined the intentionality factor as a function of vigilance task by conducting a repeated-measures ANOVA with mind-wandering rate as the dependent variable, and Intentionality (Intentional, Unintentional) and Task (PVT, Sustained Attention to Response task (SART)) as within-participant factors
Summary
Mind-wandering refers to the process during which our attention shifts from an ongoing task to thoughts that are not linked to task performance (for a review, see [1]). Mind-wandering and vigilance decrement and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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