DAYDREAMING HELPS SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Jeffrey Newman

A new study reveals that the brain areas most associated with complex problem-solving are actually more active when we focus on routine tasks than when we focus on the problem. This suggests that there may be benefits to daydreaming when faced with difficult issues. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences studied subjects in fMRI scanners where their attentiveness was tracked while they performed mundane tasks. The researchers concluded that daydreaming is an important cognitive state where we sort our important problems.