A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Understanding Spontaneous Cognition

There is a growing consensus that spontaneous mental states, such as mind wandering, are ubiquitous and related to important aspects of our everyday lives (e.g., memory, creativity, mental health). Although mind wandering has gained a relatively negative reputation in recent years, increasing evidence suggests the picture may not be so straightforward. In this talk, I will highlight a few recent projects that may help reconcile some of the disparate conclusions to date by focusing on how mind wandering relates to learning, affective states, and the generation of new ideas.