Social psychology. Just think: the challenges of the disengaged mind.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Series of 11 experimental behavioral studies with human participants
PubMed 24994650 · doi:10.1126/science.1250830
What was done
Across 11 experimental studies, participants were placed in a room alone for 6 to 15 minutes with nothing to do but think. Researchers assessed participants' enjoyment of this period of disengaged thinking relative to doing mundane external activities or having the opportunity to self-administer electric shocks.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, exact sample sizes, or statistical effect estimates. It reports that participants typically did not enjoy spending 6 to 15 minutes alone with their thoughts, preferred mundane external activities much more, and frequently chose to administer electric shocks to themselves rather than remain alone with their thoughts.
Why it matters
The findings demonstrate a widespread aversion to unguided solitary thought, showing that individuals often prefer external stimulation—even if unpleasant or mundane—over mental solitude.
Limits
The abstract provides no sample sizes, demographic characteristics, or quantitative metrics (such as the exact percentage of participants who self-shocked). The brief laboratory setting may not reflect long-term or naturalistic experiences of solitude.