Daca ramai singura cu gandurile tale, ce se va intampla? Te invit sa vizualizezi o scena in care n-ai la indemana gadgeturi. Nu ai ebook-ul, nu ai smartphone-ul, tableta si nici laptop-ul. Nici macar televizor sau radio nu ai. Nici carti sau reviste. Nu esti decat tu si cu mintea ta. Scarry?
O echipa de cercetatori psihologici in frunte cu Timothy Wilson (University of Virginia) si Daniel Gilbert de la Harvard (binecunoscut zilele astea pentru critica la adresa proiectului cu replicabilitatea studiilor psihologice) a explorat starea de a fi singura cu propriile ganduri si a descoperit ca experienta e neplacuta. Ba mai mult, multi dintre participantii la studiu, indeosebi barbati, preferau sa-si administreze un soc electric moderat in loc sa fie deprivati de stimularea exterioara. Iti sunt ochii bulbucați ca la melci cotobelci?
Mai poti citi o data. Participantii experimentau disconfort odata ce se aflau singuri intr-o camera, fara nimic de facut, pentru nu mai mult de 15 minute. Decat sa fie singuri cu gandurile lor, cei mai multi ar fi preferat sa faca diverse treburi mundane sau, chiar, sa-si administreze șocuri moderate.
Redau in final concluzia lor preluata din articolul publicat in Science in data de 4 iulie 2014:
”There is no doubt that people are sometimes absorbed by interesting ideas, exciting fantasies, and pleasant daydreams (19–21). Research has shown that minds are difficult to control (8, 22), however, and it may be particularly hard to steer our thoughts in pleasant directions and keep them there. This may be why many people seek to gain better control of their thoughts with meditation and other techniques, with clear benefits (23-27). Without such training, people prefer doing to thinking, even if what they are doing is so unpleasant that they would normally pay to avoid it. The untutored mind does not like to be alone with itself.”
Wilson, T. D., Reinhard, D. A., Westgate, E. C., Gilbert, D. T., Ellerbeck, N., Hahn, C., … & Shaked, A. (2014). Just think: The challenges of the disengaged mind. Science, 345(6192), 75-77.