Time Travels in Our Mind

Mere exposure to moving dots can play a role in guiding our thoughts.

Scientists at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland have discovered that thinking about moving forward prompts speculation about the future, while imagining moving backward triggers reflections on the past. The researchers had 26 college students look at a video display showing white dots on a black screen. These dots appeared to move either toward or away from the students. Every three seconds, they had to either click a button when they saw a large white O on the screen or withhold from clicking when they saw a large white X. This chore was intentionally dull to encourage daydreaming. Later, they were quizzed about what they were thinking to see if they mentally travelled into the past or future. The researchers found the direction of movement influenced the way their minds wandered. The study shows that mere exposure to moving dots can play a role in guiding our thoughts.