1. Frogs’ Legs versus Roast Beef: How Culture can Influence Mind-Wandering Experiences across the Life Span.
Martinon Léa M. , Smallwood J., Hamilton C., Riby L.M.
Oral presentation Journée de printemps de la SNLF, Grenoble, France.
June 2nd, 2017

2. Mind-Wandering
Your attention is decoupled from the external world and instead focuses on internal thoughts and feelings (Smallwood & Schooler, 2006)
Daydreaming, task-unrelated thought, self-generated thoughts
30 to 50% of our mental life (Killingsworth & Gilbert, 2010)
Outcomes
Poor performance (Mrazek et al., 2012)
Autobiographical planning (Baird et al., 2011)
Creativity (Baird et al., 2012)
Content
Future (D’Argembeau et al., 2011)
Self (Smallwood et al., 2011)
Individual differences
Less in aging (Jackson & Balota, 2012)
More in mild depression (Smallwood et al. 2005)
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France

3. Culture Evidenced in many cultures (UK, Germany, USA, China, Belgium)
Only one study investigated cultural differences
More daydreaming for African-American and Jewish populations
Less daydreaming for British (Singer & McCraven, 1961)
Self
Culture induces different construal of the self, defining and influencing individual experiences (Markus & Kitayama 1991)
Language
shapes cognitive processes and organize thoughts (Vygotsky, 1962).
Here, we investigated two geographically close countries France and UK
Clear cultural difference
Different language spoken
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France

4. This study Aim Participants
Investigating age and cultural differences in mind-wandering experience.
Participants
English
French
Mean SD N
Young
(18-35)
21.58
4.45
193
22.95
3.87
122
Middle-age
(36-54)
44.18
4.14 50
46.62
5.78 34
Old
(55 and +)
66.19
7.31 26
65.32
7.11 31
Total
30.09
15.43
269
34.28
17.22
187
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France

5. This study – Measures Mind-wandering frequency (DDFS; Giambra, 1993)
‘I lose myself in active daydreaming’ (1) Infrequently, (2) Once a week, (3) Once a day, (4) A few times during the day (5) Many different times during the day.
Self attentiveness (RRQ; Trapnell & Campbell, 1999)
Rumination: ‘My attention is often focused on aspects of myself I wish I'd stop thinking about’
Reflection: ‘I'm very self-inquisitive by nature’
Mood (PANAS; Watson, 1988)
‘distressed’ or ‘excited’
Mindfulness (MAAS; Brown & Ryan, 2003)
‘I rush through activities without being really attentive to them’
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France

6. This study – Measures Future thinking (FST; McElwee & Haugh, 2010)
Clarity: ‘My future seems vague and uncertain to me’
Frequency: ‘Thinking too much about what lies ahead in my life seems to be a waste of time’.
Cognitive abilities (CFQ; Broadbent et al. 1982)
‘Do you fail to notice signposts on the road?’
Depressive symptoms (BDI–II; Beck et al. 1996)
‘Past failure’ (0) I do not feel like a failure, (1) I have failed more than I should have, (2) As I look back, I see a lot of failures (3) I feel I am a total failure as a person.
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France

7. 1st finding – Mind-Wandering
***
***
English speakers
3.48 (.72)
3.53 (.67)
2.74 (.77)
French speakers
3.71 (.70)
3.18 (.90)
3.05 (.84)
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France

8. 2nd finding – Self-Attentiveness
Rumination
Reflection
*** * * *
English
speakers
3.83 (.72)
3.41 (.87)
2.95 (.84)
3.15 (.73)
3.45 (.71)
3.04 (.73)
French
3.43 (.87)
3.14 (.93)
3.25 (.63)
3.71 (.81)
3.54 (.78)
3.55 (.69)
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France

9. 3rd finding - Mood Other findings
Positive affects
Negative affects
PANAS ***
English speakers
2.56 (.76)
1.76 (.81)
2.16 (.56)
French speakers
2.93 (.73)
1.91 (.81)
2.42 (.54)
Other findings
Mindfulness increases with age, for both populations
Future-self thoughts frequency decreases with age, for both populations
Depressive symptoms decreases with age, for both populations
No age or culture effect on cognitive failures.
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France

10. Interpretations
Cultural difference in the age-related decrease of mind-wandering frequency.
Difficult to interpret without looking at the content of the thoughts
Rumination rates are higher for young British.
Tuition fees,£9000 Vs. 500€. More financial difficulties for UK students, linked to depression (Andrews & Wilding, 2004).
Reflection higher in French, and middle aged British.
Major life reassessment often occur at midlife (Demo, 1992).
High rates of professional reconversion in France.
French speakers may have better coping strategies (express more their emotions), compared to English speakers that tend keep things for themselves.
Heighten mood for French compared to British.
British citizens tend not to be overly demonstrative (Khor & March, 2007).
Not the case for French speakers. Example: high number of strikes.
Major life reassessment often occur at midlife (Demo, 1992)
kids are teenagers, parents death or difficulties…
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France

11. Conclusions
Cultural differences between French and English speakers clearly impact mind-wandering experience.
Warning about overgeneralizations of this cognitive process to every culture.
Yes, it is experienced by various populations.
No, their experience may not be the same.
Stress the importance of evaluating cultural affiliation during participant recruitment as this may influence the results.
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France

12. Thank you.
Léa Martinon - SNLF 2017, Grenoble, France