Is the intentionality of mind wandering associated with the combined dimensions of temporal orientation and emotional valence?

TL;DR

This study explores how the intentionality of mind wandering affects the combination of temporal orientation and emotional valence in thoughts.

Contribution

It reveals how intentionality interacts with multiple content dimensions in mind wandering.

Findings

Unintentional mind wandering is more often linked to neutral or negative past-oriented thoughts.

Intentional mind wandering is more frequently associated with positive or negative future-oriented thoughts.

Abstract

Mind wandering (MW) varies in its functional consequences depending on both its intentionality (intentional vs. unintentional) and the content of thought. While previous studies have examined these dimensions separately, little is known about how combinations of content features—such as temporal orientation and emotional valence—are shaped by intentionality. This study investigated whether intentional and unintentional MW differ in content when temporal orientation (past vs. future) and emotional valence (positive, neutral, negative) are considered in combination. Participants reported the content of their MW episodes, which were categorized accordingly. The results showed that unintentional MW was more frequently associated with neutral or negative past-oriented content, whereas intentional MW was more often linked to positive or negative future-oriented content. These findings suggest that the effects of MW content vary depending on intentionality, particularly when multiple content dimensions are considered together. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the functional heterogeneity of MW by highlighting the interaction between intentionality and thought content.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-025-03821-7.

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