Does being awake necessarily mean being conscious of something?
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| Title: | Does being awake necessarily mean being conscious of something? |
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| Authors: | Young, Emma (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Psychologist. May2026, p10-10. 1p. 1 Color Photograph. |
| Subjects: | Consciousness, Electroencephalography, Selectivity (Psychology), Reaction time, Functional connectivity |
| Abstract: | The article focuses on a recent study by Esteban Munoz-Musat and colleagues at Sorbonne University, which investigates the phenomenon of mind blanking (MB)—periods when an individual is awake but experiences an empty mind. Using EEG recordings and attention tasks with 62 participants, the study found that MB is a distinct mental state characterized by slower reaction times, increased errors, altered brain connectivity, and shifts toward sleep-like brain activity, despite participants remaining behaviorally responsive. The researchers suggest that MB represents a temporary failure of conscious access mechanisms, challenging the traditional view that consciousness is a continuous stream during wakefulness. This study opens new questions about the nature and duration of mental blanks and their role in conscious experience. [Extracted from the article] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | The article focuses on a recent study by Esteban Munoz-Musat and colleagues at Sorbonne University, which investigates the phenomenon of mind blanking (MB)—periods when an individual is awake but experiences an empty mind. Using EEG recordings and attention tasks with 62 participants, the study found that MB is a distinct mental state characterized by slower reaction times, increased errors, altered brain connectivity, and shifts toward sleep-like brain activity, despite participants remaining behaviorally responsive. The researchers suggest that MB represents a temporary failure of conscious access mechanisms, challenging the traditional view that consciousness is a continuous stream during wakefulness. This study opens new questions about the nature and duration of mental blanks and their role in conscious experience. [Extracted from the article] |
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| ISSN: | 09528229 |
