Investigating the role of mind wandering in computer-supported collaborative work: A proposal for an EEG study

Abstract

Mind wandering is a mental activity that allows us to easefully escape from current situations and tasks. Being the opposite of goal-directed thinking, existing research suggests that mind wandering is an important antecedent of creativity and innovation behavior. Moreover, there is initial evidence that technology characteristics may influence mind wandering. Despite a growing academic interest in mind wandering, there is only limited research that provides insights into the relationship between technology characteristics and mind wandering. We seek to address this research gap by proposing a research model that investigates whether technology supported collaborative work has an impact on the degree of mind wandering. In this research-in-progress paper, we describe the use of self-report measures and neurophysiological measures (specifically, Electroencephalography, EEG) to study mind wandering in an Information Systems research context. Ultimately, our research seeks to inform design science research in order to enhance creativity and innovation behavior.