Historically, scientific research using eye tracking to examine mind wandering has been conducted predominately with white undergraduates. Additionally, eye tracking data has been limited to those with the necessary equipment and funds to collect the data. This dataset aims to further the research by providing a source of data collected from a diverse population across a variety of studies.
Mind wandering can be considered a type of thought in which an individual is not engaged in the current task. Mind wandering is a complex construct that has been found to be negatively related to learning outcomes and performance. However, it has also been positively linked to creativity.
Participants work on a task while an eye tracker records their gaze coordinates. Throughout the task, they’ll be periodically asked whether or not they are thinking about the task. These responses can then serve as ground truth that can be mapped to the gaze patterns that occurred around the same time.
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This work was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the foundation.