Mind-wandering during contemporary live music: An exploratory study

During a live concert, the mind can wander to unrelated thoughts such as personal concerns or past memories vivid images that are inspired by music. This is an omnipresent phenomenon commonly referred mind-wandering. Psychological research on mind-wandering has explored its main characteristics, frequency, phenomenology, and impact mood, both in laboratory daily life contexts. study aimed harness ecological setting of music concert examine occurrence content mind-wandering, well visual mental imagery mode through which occurs, relationship with concertgoers’ moods before after event. A self-report questionnaire ( n = 43) was used collect data at two concerts ambient given part CTM Festival. Findings suggest occurs extensively environment. While episodes feature negative themes moods—in form dark associated program’s musical tone—the environment still contributes participants feeling more afterward. Overall, this points potential contexts stimulate beneficial style (i.e., one leads positive mood imagery), findings line those previous showing lead increased well-being concertgoers. Implications for call systematic subject discussed.