Citation

Henríquez RA, Chica AB, Billeke P, Bartolomeo P. PLoS One 2016; 11(2): e0147174.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, Catholic University Milan, Milan, Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Public Library of Science)

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0147174

PMID

26863144

Abstract

Mind-wandering is the occasional distraction we experience while performing a cognitive task. It arises without any external precedent, varies over time, and interferes with the processing of sensory information. Here, we asked whether the transition from the on-task state to mind-wandering is a gradual process or an abrupt event. We developed a new experimental approach, based on the continuous, online assessment of individual psychophysical performance. Probe questions were asked whenever response times (RTs) exceeded 2 standard deviations from the participant's average RT.

RESULTS showed that mind-wandering reports were generally preceded by slower RTs, as compared to trials preceding on-task reports. Mind-wandering episodes could be reliably predicted from the response time difference between the last and the second-to-last trials. Thus, mind-wandering reports follow an abrupt increase in behavioral variability, lasting between 2.5 and 10 seconds.

Keywords: Driver distraction

Language: en