Phenomenology of future-oriented mind-wandering episodes

[en] Recent research suggests that prospective and non-prospective forms of mind-wandering possess distinct properties, yet little is known about what exactly differentiates between future-oriented and non-future-oriented mind-wandering episodes. In the present study, we used multilevel exploratory factor analyses to examine the factorial structure of various phenomenological dimensions of mind-wandering, and we then investigated whether future-oriented mind-wandering episodes differ from other classes of mind-wandering along the identified factors. We found that the phenomenological dimensions of mind-wandering are structured in four factors: representational format (inner speech vs. visual imagery), personal relevance, realism/concreteness, and structuration. Prospective mind-wandering differed from non-prospective mind-wandering along each of these factors. Specifically, future-oriented mind-wandering episodes involved inner speech to a greater extent, were more personally relevant, more realistic/concrete, and more often part of structured sequences of thoughts. These results show that future-oriented mind-wandering possesses a unique phenomenological signature and provide new insights into how this particular form of mind-wandering may adaptively contribute to autobiographical planning.

Disciplines :

Theoretical & cognitive psychology

Author, co-author :

Stawarczyk, David ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie : cognition et comportement > Psychopathologie cognitive

CASSOL, Héléna ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Médecine de l'appareil locomoteur

D'Argembeau, Arnaud ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie : cognition et comportement > Psychopathologie cognitive

Language :

English

Title :

Phenomenology of future-oriented mind-wandering episodes

Publication date :

July 2013

Journal title :

Frontiers in Psychology

eISSN :

1664-1078

Publisher :

Switzerland Frontiers Research Foundation, Pully, Switzerland

Special issue title :

Towards a psychological and neuroscientific account of the wandering mind

Volume :

Pages :

425

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

http://www.frontiersin.org/perception_science/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00425/abstract

Funders :

F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]

Available on ORBi :

since 17 July 2013

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119

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