Our brains have two distinct modes of processing information – active, focused attention and passive, automatic processing. While active attention is necessary for executing precise commands or solving explicit problems, the brain can also absorb background statistics in a passive manner, allowing for implicit or probabilistic learning. Researchers studied whether losing focus might aid this type of learning, finding that spontaneous mind wandering improved performance on tasks requiring hidden patterns.
The study used an alternating serial reaction time task to test participants’ ability to detect patterns in a stream of information. The results showed that when participants reported mind wandering, their brain activity indicated increased slow waves – a phenomenon known as “local sleep” – which is typically associated with sleep but occurs in awake individuals. This state may facilitate the strengthening of neural connections related to new patterns.
The findings suggest that attention is not always beneficial for cognitive performance and that allowing the mind to drift naturally might be an essential part of mastering complex environments. The study’s results have implications for education and skill acquisition, challenging the assumption that constant, rigid focus is always the optimal strategy for learning.
Source: https://www.psypost.org/neuroscientists-discover-that-letting-the-mind-wander-may-aid-passive-learning