Doing something is always better than sitting

(Most people don't feel comfortable in their own minds, according to a new survey of psychology led by the University of Virginia.

The new investigation found that most people like to do something - maybe even hurt themselves - rather than not doing anything or sitting alone with thoughts in their heads, the researcher said. The findings were presented on July 4, 2014 in Science magazine.

In a series of 11 studies, psychologist Timothy Wilson and colleagues at the University of Virginia and Harvard University found that study participants from different ages often disliked spending time. even if it's just a short time to be alone in the room and do nothing but think, consider or dream. Most of the volunteers who participated in the study, mostly enjoyed doing outside activities such as listening to music or using smartphones. Even some people like to give themselves a lighter shock than to think.

'Those of us enjoying a break to think that the findings like the results of this study are amazing - so am I - but the volunteers in the study have shown they like it. doing something more than doing nothing and hanging around with their thoughts for a very short time , " Wilson said.

About the time that Wilson and his colleagues asked volunteers to be alone and their thoughts lasted 6-15 minutes. Many of the first studies in a series of studies included college student volunteers, most of whom reported that 'thinking time' was uncomfortable and difficult to concentrate. So Wilson did a different study with volunteers at different ages, wider positions, between the ages of 18 and 77, and found the same results.

'It's amazing - even older people don't show any preference for solitary thought , ' Wilson said.

He does not attribute this to the rapid development of modern society, or the spread of existing electronic devices, such as smartphones. Instead, he thought that devices could be a response to people's wishes to always have something to do. In his research paper, Wilson noted that extensive surveys have shown that people often dislike separating themselves from the world, and when they do, they are particularly uninterested. According to the research of the aforementioned scientists, Americans often spend time watching television, meeting or reading books, and really spend little or no time to 'relax or contemplate' think'.

In some of Wilson's experiments, volunteers were asked to sit alone in an empty room in a lab without a phone, with nothing to read or write, and spend time from 6 - 15 minutes - depending on research - entertainment with their own thoughts. Next, the study participants will answer questions about the amount of time they spend in a pleasant way and whether they find it difficult to concentrate, along with other questions.

Most have reported that they find it hard to concentrate and their minds are absent-minded, although there is nothing competing with their attention. On average, volunteers do not like the time spent. The same result has been found in more extensive studies when volunteers are allowed to spend time alone with their own thoughts in their homes.

'We have found that about a third have admitted that they have been' cheating 'at home by doing some activities, such as listening to music or using the phone, or leaving their seats , ' Wilson said. to speak. 'And they don't like going through this experiment at home any more than in the lab'.

An experiment randomly replaces participants who spend time with their thoughts or at the same time to work outside, such as reading books or listening to music, but do not interact with people. other. The people who did the activities said they were more comfortable than those who were just thinking and doing nothing, and they found it easier to focus and their minds were less distracted. Researchers have continued to study further. Since most people prefer to have something to do rather than just think , so the researchers wonder 'Will they prefer to do activities that are not more comfortable than not doing anything?'

The results show that many people will do so. Volunteers are put into the same situation as most previous studies, along with the addition of a possibility to cause a small shock to themselves by pressing a button.

Twelve of the 18 men in the study caused them at least one electric schock during the 15-minute 'think' of the study. Compared to that, 6/24 women have pressed the electric shock button. All of these volunteers received the same type of electric shock and reported that they would avoid being shocked again.

The highlight, the researchers wrote: 'it's just so easy to be alone with your own thoughts for 15 minutes that it causes many people to cause an electric shock to them before that. said that he would stay away, " Wilson and his colleagues stressed that men tend to look for" feeling "more than women, which may help explain why 67% of men are self-shocked. For yourself compared to this rate is 25% in women.

Wilson said he and his colleagues are still working to identify the reasons why people are difficult to be alone with their own thoughts. People like daydreaming or imagining for many times, he said, but these types of thinking are most pleasant when they happen naturally, and are difficult to force.

'Thinking is set to connect with the world , ' he said. 'Even if they are alone, our focus is often on the outside world. And the lack of practice in meditation or thought control techniques is still difficult, most people prefer to engage with outside activities. '