American Minds Wander Frequently and Unhappily Except During Sex, Exercise and Conversation

DolceTracker| A global study that’s dominated by American participants (74%) suggests that the mind wanders frequently and not happily. More than 5,000 people are now using the iPhone web app which can be found at Track Your Happiness.

Harvard psychologists Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert conclude that because humans spend a lot of time thinking about what isn’t going on around them; reliving events from the past and thinking about the future, our species enjoys a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost.

Subjects could choose from 22 general activities, such as walking, eating, shopping, and watching television. On average, respondents reported that their minds were wandering 46.9 percent of time, and no less than 30 percent of the time during every activity except making love. via Science Daily

Participants were happiest when making love, exercising, or engaging in conversation. They were unhappiest when resting, working or using a home computer.

Killingsworth and Gilbert’s 2,250 subjects in this study ranged in age from 18 to 88, representing a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds and occupations. Given the preponderance of Americans participating, it seems unwise to assume these results pertain to the entire global population.