Basic research on the degree of diffusion of mind wandering and effective breaks

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22279
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0110:Psychology and related fields
• Research Institution: Okinawa International University
• Principal Investigator: Yamaoka Akina 沖縄国際大学, 総合文化学部, 准教授 (50882031)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: マインドワンダリング / あたため期 / 孵化効果

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The first study showed that the higher the degree of diffusion of thoughts during mind wandering, the higher the creativity. In addition, higher diffusion of thoughts during mind wandering was not significantly associated with rumination tendency or unintentional mind wandering, but was positively associated with reflective tendency and intentional mind wandering tendency. This indicated that mind wandering with a higher degree of diffusion was more strongly associated with more adaptive variables such as creativity and reflection.
The second study showed that mind wandering with a higher degree of diffusion during the incubation period (breaks period) after getting stuck in creative problem solving enhanced creative problem solving when re-engaged in creative problem solving.

Free Research Field

社会心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現代社会を豊かに生き抜くためには，高い創造性を発揮する必要がある。本研究は，マインドワンダリングと呼ばれる，誰もに生じる現象を利用して，より高い創造性を発揮する方法を検討した。本研究の知見から，あたため期に拡散程度の高いマインドワンダリングを行うことが，高い創造性の発揮に有効であることが示された。今後の研究によって，拡散程度の高いマインドワンダリングを誘発する方法を明らかにすることで，具体的にどのようにあたため期を過ごせば，より高い創造性を発揮できるかを提言することができるだろう。