The wandering mind oscillates: EEG alpha power is enhanced during moments of mind-wandering.

Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci

Department of Psychology, Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA, 19041, USA.

Published: October 2019

What is your brain doing while your mind is wandering? This study used a within-subjects experience-sampling design to test whether episodes of mind-wandering during a demanding cognitive task are associated with increases in EEG alpha power. Alpha refers to cyclic oscillations in EEG activity at 8-12 Hz, and has been previously correlated with internally rather than externally directed cognition. Participants completed a speeded performance task with more than 800 trials while EEG was recorded. Intermittent experience-sampling probes asked participants to indicate whether their mind was wandering or on-task. Participants reported mind-wandering in response to approximately half of the probes. EEG alpha power was significantly higher preceding probes to which participants reported mind-wandering, compared with probes to which participants reported being on task. These findings imply that dynamic changes in alpha power may prove a valuable tool in studying momentary fluctuations in mind-wandering.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13415-019-00745-9DOI Listing

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