2014
DOI: 10.1037/a0036775
|View full text |Cite
|
Sign up to set email alerts
|

The (perceived) meaning of spontaneous thoughts.

Abstract: Spontaneous thoughts, the output of a broad category of uncontrolled and inaccessible higher order mental processes, arise frequently in everyday life. The seeming randomness by which spontaneous thoughts arise might give people good reason to dismiss them as meaningless. We suggest that it is precisely the lack of control over and access to the processes by which they arise that leads people to perceive spontaneous thoughts as revealing meaningful self-insight. Consequently, spontaneous thoughts potently infl… Show more

Help me understand this report

Search citation statements

Order By: Relevance

Paper Sections

Select...
2
1
1
1

Citation Types

1
24
0

Year Published

2014
2014
2024
2024

Publication Types

Select...
6
3
1

Relationship

0
10

Authors

Journals

citations
Cited by 40 publications
(25 citation statements)
references
References 102 publications
1
24
0
Order By: Relevance
“…Spending time with our thoughts likely has complex and wide-ranging implications beyond momentary hedonic enjoyment. Spontaneous thoughts are perceived as revealing meaningful self-insight (Morewedge et al, 2014) and may play an important adaptive role in life-relevant problem solving (Baars, 2010) and providing meaning to our lives (Christoff et al, 2011). Even when it is less than enjoyable or entertaining, spending time with our own unstructured thoughts may increase our overall sense of well-being and life satisfaction.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Spending time with our thoughts likely has complex and wide-ranging implications beyond momentary hedonic enjoyment. Spontaneous thoughts are perceived as revealing meaningful self-insight (Morewedge et al, 2014) and may play an important adaptive role in life-relevant problem solving (Baars, 2010) and providing meaning to our lives (Christoff et al, 2011). Even when it is less than enjoyable or entertaining, spending time with our own unstructured thoughts may increase our overall sense of well-being and life satisfaction.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Spending time with our thoughts likely has complex and wide-ranging implications beyond momentary hedonic enjoyment. Spontaneous thoughts are perceived as revealing meaningful self-insight (Morewedge et al, 2014 ) and may play an important adaptive role in life-relevant problem solving (Baars, 2010 ) and providing meaning to our lives (Christoff et al, 2011 ). Even when it is less than enjoyable or entertaining, spending time with our own unstructured thoughts may increase our overall sense of well-being and life satisfaction.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…First, recent research on people’s perceptions of their own spontaneous thoughts indicates that such thoughts are felt to be more meaningful than their deliberate counterparts (Morewedge, Giblin, & Norton, 2014). Positive spontaneous thoughts may thus be particularly potent drivers of approach behavior.…”
Section: Positive Spontaneous Thoughtsmentioning
confidence: 99%