The Conceptual Building Blocks of Everyday Thought: Tracking the Emergence and Dynamics of Ruminative and Nonruminative Thinking

Jessica R. Andrews-Hanna; Choong Wan Woo; Ramsey Wilcox; Hedwig Eisenbarth; Byeol Kim; Jihoon Han; Elizabeth A.Reynolds Losin; Tor D. Wager

doi:10.1037/xge0001096

The Conceptual Building Blocks of Everyday Thought: Tracking the Emergence and Dynamics of Ruminative and Nonruminative Thinking

Jessica R. Andrews-Hanna, Choong Wan Woo, Ramsey Wilcox, Hedwig Eisenbarth, Byeol Kim, Jihoon Han, Elizabeth A.Reynolds Losin, Tor D. Wager

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

How do thoughts arise, unfold, and change over time? Are the contents and dynamics of everyday thought rooted in conceptual associations within one’s semantic networks? To address these questions, we developed the Free Association Semantic task (FAST), whereby participants generate dynamic chains of conceptual associations in response to seed words that vary in valence. Ninety-four adults from a community sample completed the FAST task and additionally described and rated six of their most frequently occurring everyday thoughts. Text analysis and valence ratings revealed similarities in thematic and affective content between FAST concept chains and recurrent autobiographical thoughts. Dynamic analyses revealed that individuals higher in rumination were more strongly attracted to negative conceptual spaces and more likely to remain there longer.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	628-642
Number of pages	15
Journal	Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
Volume	151
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001096
State	Published - Sep 9 2021

Keywords

Concepts
Dynamics
Language
Mind-wandering
Rumination

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
General Psychology
Developmental Neuroscience

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10.1037/xge0001096

Cite this

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abstract = "How do thoughts arise, unfold, and change over time? Are the contents and dynamics of everyday thought rooted in conceptual associations within one{\textquoteright}s semantic networks? To address these questions, we developed the Free Association Semantic task (FAST), whereby participants generate dynamic chains of conceptual associations in response to seed words that vary in valence. Ninety-four adults from a community sample completed the FAST task and additionally described and rated six of their most frequently occurring everyday thoughts. Text analysis and valence ratings revealed similarities in thematic and affective content between FAST concept chains and recurrent autobiographical thoughts. Dynamic analyses revealed that individuals higher in rumination were more strongly attracted to negative conceptual spaces and more likely to remain there longer.",

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AU - Wager, Tor D.

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The Conceptual Building Blocks of Everyday Thought: Tracking the Emergence and Dynamics of Ruminative and Nonruminative Thinking

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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