Science of Daydreaming and Imagination

This seminar course will focus on research and theories addressing a fundamental scientific question: What does our mind do when it is “resting?” Readings and discussions will cover contemporary research, as well as some classic studies, investigating day-dreaming (i.e. mind wandering), imagination, and night-time dreaming. The focus will be on viewing these “resting states” from an interdisciplinary perspective by integrating works from psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience. A primary focus will be relating these mental states to aspects of our everyday life, including memory, education, creativity, and psychedelic experiences. At the same time, we will also examine factors relating to variability in these processes, such as mental health disorders and neurological traumas. The goals of this course are to promote research experience in psychological science, improve scientific literacy, stronger critical thinking skills, and sharper communication skills. Prereq: Psyc 402; 502; or permission