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Mind Wandering in Chinese Daily Lives – An Experience Sampling Study

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  • Xiaolan Song
  • Xiao Wang

Abstract

Mind wandering has recently received extensive research because it reveals an important characteristic of our consciousness: conscious experience can arise internally and involuntarily. As the first attempt to examine mind wandering in a non-western population, the present study used experience-sampling method to collect the daily momentary mind wandering episodes in a Chinese sample. The results showed that mind wandering was also a ubiquitous experience among the Chinese population, and, instead of emerging out of nowhere, it was often elicited by external or internal cues. Furthermore, most of the mind wandering episodes involved prospective thinking and were closely related to one’s personal life. Finally, the frequency of mind wandering was influenced by some contextual factors. These results taken together suggest that mind wandering plays an important role in helping people to maintain a continuous feeling of “self” and to prepare them to cope with the upcoming events.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaolan Song & Xiao Wang, 2012. "Mind Wandering in Chinese Daily Lives – An Experience Sampling Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(9), pages 1-9, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0044423
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044423
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonathan Smallwood & Kevin S Brown & Christine Tipper & Barry Giesbrecht & Michael S Franklin & Michael D Mrazek & Jean M Carlson & Jonathan W Schooler, 2011. "Pupillometric Evidence for the Decoupling of Attention from Perceptual Input during Offline Thought," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(3), pages 1-8, March.
    2. Christie Scollon & Chu Kim-Prieto & Ed Diener, 2003. "Experience Sampling: Promises and Pitfalls, Strengths and Weaknesses," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 5-34, March.
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