Theory 87/Mind wandering/Ratio lens
Rate Is Load Against Capacity
The claim
Mind wandering rate is set by the ratio of cognitive load to working memory capacity, so high capacity protects against wandering on the same task.
01Mechanism
Spare capacity is what allows off-task thought; the ratio determines how much remains.
02Prediction
Wandering should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Wandering tracking load alone would remove capacity.