Daydreamers have a more responsive working memory system, allowing them to think beyond their surroundings. Working memory is different from short-term memory and is important for reasoning and decision making.
In 2012, researchers at the University of Wisconsin and the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science conducted a study of daydreamers. They concluded that people with ‘wandering minds’ – those who are able to think of other things while engaged in routine activities – have a more responsive working memory system. In other words, their brains have so many extra capabilities that they don’t need to focus solely on the job at hand. “Our results suggest that the kinds of planning that people do quite often in daily life — when they’re on the bus, when they cycle to work, when they’re in the shower — are probably supported by working memory,” he said. researcher Jonathan Smallwood. “Their brains are trying to allocate resources to the most pressing problems.”
Work, work, work:
Working memory has been correlated with measures of intelligence, such as IQ scores. But this study shows that working memory is also linked to the ability to think beyond one’s surroundings.
Working memory is different from short-term memory, neuropsychologists say. Working memory allows for the manipulation of stored information, while short-term memory only refers to the passive memorization of information.
The term “working memory” was first used in the 1960s in theories comparing the mind to a computer. Working memory is an important brain function related to reasoning and decision making.
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