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Symposium_07
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Spontaneous Thought And Consciousness Abstract Spontaneous thought, exemplified in mindwandering for example, is a pervasive aspect of our daily conscious lives and thus worthy of attention in a science of consciousness. The term denotes a cluster of familiar conscious phenomena which stand in complex relations to attention, cognitive control, automaticity, and other mental phenomena. Thus, it is no wonder that spontaneous thought has garnered attention from psychologists, neuroscientists, and philosophers. It arises freely, being relatively unconstrained by its contents and transitions from one mental state to another; it is typically unguided. Moreover, since it correlates with neural activation in the default mode network (DMN) which has also been implicated with self-related thought and social cognition, it raises questions about the relations among these phenomena as well. But these intricate relations also introduce challenges for studying spontaneous thought experimentally, both behaviorally and neuroscientifically. This symposium brings together experts from different disciplines to explore questions about spontaneous thought and consciousness and their neural basis, related to both state consciousness and global consciousness. Why does the brain engage in spontaneous thought? Can insights about spontaneous thought inform us about the function of consciousness? What can mindwandering teach us about the relationship between attention and consciousness? What prompts mindwandering, how does it relate to cognitive agency? Are there global states of mind which foster mindwandering and others which prevent it? And can we identify a neuronal signature of (instances of) spontaneous thought that sets it apart from other phenomena correlating with the default mode network? Rationale on symposium's general scientific interest Understanding spontaneous thought, which occupies up to 50% of waking conscious mental life and a significant portion of dreaming time, is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the conscious mind. This dynamic phenomenon not only represents an important facet of consciousness that warrants increased attention but is also intricately linked to foundational psychological constructs such as attention, cognitive control, and memory. By examining the relationships between spontaneous thought and these constructs, we can better understand functions of consciousness itself, such as how consciousness relates to cognitive control or shifts in attention. Spontaneous thought is also central to many human experiences, including creativity, self-reflection, and planning, as it allows us to explore possibilities, revisit memories, and mentally project into the future. These processes underpin critical functions like problem-solving and emotional processing, highlighting the broader scientific interest in studying spontaneous thought and its influence on well-being and psychological health. Furthermore, addressing the methodological challenges involved in studying spontaneous thought could lead to innovative behavioral and neuroscientific methods, refining our tools for exploring consciousness. As a burgeoning field of interest, spontaneous thought draws diverse contributions from philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience, each offering unique perspectives. Since this symposium will thus enhance our understanding of the dynamic aspects of consciousness, foster interdisciplinary dialogue, and shape the future trajectory of consciousness studies, it is surprising that this topic has never been center stage at an ASSC meeting. Rationale on complementarity of talks Each talk in this symposium delves into unique but interrelated aspects of spontaneous thought, contributing to a comprehensive exploration of its theoretical, empirical, and methodological dimensions. Jennifer Windt’s talk discusses the comparative study of different types of spontaneous thought, particularly mindwandering and dreaming, emphasizing their distinct characteristics and potential overlaps. Moshe Bar introduces the ‘State-of-Mind’ framework, exploring how overarching mental states shape mindwandering, connecting closely with Kalina Christoff’s ‘Dynamic Framework’ of spontaneous thought. The interaction between Bar’s and Christoff’s frameworks—similar yet distinct in focus—promises valuable insights into the dynamics of mindwandering and consciousness. Kalina Christoff’s talk further deepens the neuroscientific perspective by focusing on brain mechanisms underlying mindwandering and highlighting the unique internal origins of spontaneous thought, in contrast to conscious states derived from external perception. Jessica Andrews-Hanna addresses the methodological and measurement challenges specific to studying spontaneous thought, presenting innovative approaches that push forward empirical research in this area. By integrating perspectives from psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, this symposium brings together empirical techniques and conceptual models, offering a thorough examination of spontaneous thought. Though mindwandering remains a central theme, the discussions encompass other forms of spontaneous thought, revealing their unique characteristics and interconnections. This synergy of talks provides an interconnected view of spontaneous thought and its essential role in conscious experience. Rationale on timeliness/importance Research on spontaneous thought addresses a crucial yet underexplored facet of consciousness—its dynamic, evolving nature. Traditionally, scientific attention has favored more static perspectives on mental states, overlooking the fluidity inherent in conscious experience as reflected in spontaneous thought. By examining this freely moving mental process, we can gain deeper insights into the nature of the stream of consciousness and tackle both conceptual and methodological challenges in understanding consciousness’s dynamics. Additionally, spontaneous thought, an internally-generated conscious process rooted in memory and imagination, has received less focus than perceptually driven conscious states, despite its central role in our conscious mental lives. Given its importance, it is vital to enhance our understanding of these self-generated mental processes that form the basis of so much of our internal experience. Beyond theoretical insights, research on spontaneous thought holds significant practical value, particularly in fields like education and mental health. Insights into spontaneous thought dynamics could inform approaches to cognitive engagement and creativity in educational settings, while in clinical contexts, understanding maladaptive patterns of thought, such as rumination, could shape interventions for depression, anxiety, and other conditions. As such, this symposium’s focus on spontaneous thought is both timely and essential, advancing both theoretical knowledge and real-world applications. Rationale on panel inclusivity This symposium brings together four researchers from philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience, and from different geographical backgrounds. In fact, the symposium features speakers from Australia, Canada, Israel, and the US, the organizer and chair is from Germany. Together, the speakers provide complementary perspectives from different disciplines on the phenomenon of spontaneous thought, e.g., on mindwandering, and its relation to attention and consciousness and on how it informs consciousness research. The organizer, Tobias Schlicht, is acting as chair only. We have three female and one male speakers. Kalina Christoff and Moshe Bar are established and well-renowned experts on the psychology and neuroscience of spontaneous thought, having contributed extensively on the topic. Jennifer Windt is an experienced philosopher, Lecturer and regular participant at ASSC meetings, an expert on dreaming, mindwandering, and research on sleep. Finally, Jessica Andrews-Hanna is a leading psychologist specializing on the neuroscience of Emotion and Thought, focusing on methodological issues in this symposium. This symposium would not only put spontaneous thought center stage at the ASSC for the first time; it would also provide an ideal platform to foster discussion about intrinsic brain activity and forms of consciousness and their role for other aspects of conscious experience. The line-up of speakers is balanced in the sense of merging various methodologies around shared questions Thus, we feel that this symposium is very balanced in various important respects. Presentations of the Symposium The Structure of a Drifting Mind: Revisiting Cognitive Control in Mind Wandering Cognitive control theories of mind wandering propose that control functions actively contribute to mind wandering. However, current cognitive control theories largely overlook a critical structural feature: mind wandering episodes are not monolithic; rather, they are segmented, unfolding as a series of distinct, topic-specific clusters of thoughts separated by abrupt shifts. This talk argues that explicitly incorporating this segmented structure is essential for a more accurate understanding of the role of cognitive control in mind wandering. I propose a revised cognitive control theory that differentiates the contributions of two key executive functions: (1) Inhibitory control operates globally across the entire mind wandering episode, creating “perceptual decoupling” that shields the internal train of thoughts from external distractions; (2) Working memory, by contrast, operates locally within each segment, serving as a buffer that maintains and develops a coherent, integrated, topic-specific train of thought before the mind “jumps” to a new subject. By distinguishing these roles of different cognitive control functions, the theory portrays mind wandering as emerging from the dynamic interplay between sustained inhibition and segment- or topic-specific working memory processes, offering a richer conceptualization of spontaneous thought. State-of-Mind As The Puppeteer Of Mindwandering It is clear by now that mindwandering is a common and frequent mental process, and we already know a great deal about the functions that are subserved by this consuming yet critical activity. Although mindwandering seems to have a mind of its own, the content of mindwandering is not random, and it can include thoughts about the past, future or present, positive or negative, about ourselves or others, fictional or based on actual experience, and much more. Similarly, the way we wander is not fixed in that mindwandering can be slow or rapid, narrowly surrounding a certain topic or roaming broadly, specific or abstract, and so on. It is proposed here that both the content and the progression pattern of mindwandering are determined by our overarching state of mind (SoM). Within this framework, SoM is a construct encompassing the pilar components of cognition, including perception, attention, thought, openness to experience and mood. These elements are clustered together and move in unison depending on internal processes as well as external context. SoM is a spectrum, which is hypothesized to be governed by the ratio between bottom-up and top-down processing. According to this proposal, where we are on that SoM spectrum is what determines both the content and the pattern of mindwandering. Relevance to issues ranging from creativity to depression will be discussed as well. What Can Spontaneous Thought Teach Us About Consciousness? According to the Dynamic Framework of Thought (Christoff et al., 2016; Girn et al., 2020), spontaneous thought encompasses a range of mental phenomena including mindwandering, creative thinking, dreaming, as well as some psychedelically-influenced mental states. All these phenomena are characterized, to a varying degree, by the presence of conscious experiences that arise and proceed in a relatively “free” manner, that is, in the absence of strong constraints on their mental and neural dynamics. Recent findings indicate that spontaneous thought occupies a significant portion of people’s mental lives, with estimates ranging from 30% to 50%. Until now, the scientific study of consciousness has focused predominantly on perceptually-derived forms of conscious experiences, but our fMRI findings indicate that spontaneous thoughts are a form of conscious experience that may be derived from non-sensory sources. The medial temporal lobe (MTL) appears to play a prominent role in the arising of spontaneous thoughts and becomes recruited seconds prior to the conscious experience of a spontaneous thought. These findings, along with recent findings from intracranial recordings of hippocampal sharp-wave ripples in humans, suggest the presence of a prominent imagination-derived stream of thought linked to complex hippocampal-cortical interactions. This hippocampal-cortical stream of processing also includes dynamic interactions between large-scale brain networks, including the Default, Salience and Frontoparietal Control Networks. Investigating the neural basis of spontaneous thought presents an enormous opportunity for expanding the scientific study of consciousness beyond its current focus on perceptually-derived forms of conscious experience. How Can We Measure A Mind On The Move? Although it is widely acknowledged that the mind and brain are dynamic, much of our scientific understanding of conscious experience is based on a static view of cognition. How can we measure a mind on the move? This talk will introduce a variety of behavioral and neural approaches – some subjective (e.g. self-report), others more objective (e.g. linguistic markers and neural patterns) – that allow researchers interested in the study of spontaneous thought and consciousness to quantify their dynamic properties. These dynamic characteristics are central to prominent neurocognitive theories, such as the Dynamic Framework of Thought (Christoff et al., 2016). Extant findings suggest that dynamic features of thought can also explain additional variance beyond static measures in our understanding of how individuals differ, including in relation to mental health, creativity and demographic characteristics such as age. As such, dynamic metrics can inform the precision health movement and can serve as markers of within-person change. Future years will undoubtedly see growth in our understanding of how the mind moves, and this talk and symposium aims to inspire interdisciplinary discussion into what that future might look like. | ||