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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.04439 |
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| _version_ | 1866908437050294272 |
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| author | Venkatesha, Videep Poulos, Mary Cati Steadman, Christopher Mills, Caitlin Cleary, Anne M. Blanchard, Nathaniel |
| author_facet | Venkatesha, Videep Poulos, Mary Cati Steadman, Christopher Mills, Caitlin Cleary, Anne M. Blanchard, Nathaniel |
| contents | The onset of spontaneous thoughts are reflective of dynamic interactions between cognition, emotion, and attention. Typically, these experiences are studied through subjective appraisals that focus on their triggers, phenomenology, and emotional salience. In this work, we use linguistic signatures to investigate Deja Vu, Involuntary Autobiographical Memories and Unexpected Thoughts. Specifically, we analyze the inherent characteristics of the linguistic patterns in participant generated descriptions of these thought types. We show how, by positioning language as a window into spontaneous cognition, existing theories on these attentional states can be updated and reaffirmed. Our findings align with prior research, reinforcing that Deja Vu is a metacognitive experience characterized by abstract and spatial language, Involuntary Autobiographical Memories are rich in personal and emotionally significant detail, and Unexpected Thoughts are marked by unpredictability and cognitive disruption. This work is demonstrative of languages potential to reveal deeper insights into how internal spontaneous cognitive states manifest through expression. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_04439 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | A Linguistic Analysis of Spontaneous Thoughts: Investigating Experiences of Déjà Vu, Unexpected Thoughts, and Involuntary Autobiographical Memories Venkatesha, Videep Poulos, Mary Cati Steadman, Christopher Mills, Caitlin Cleary, Anne M. Blanchard, Nathaniel Artificial Intelligence Computation and Language The onset of spontaneous thoughts are reflective of dynamic interactions between cognition, emotion, and attention. Typically, these experiences are studied through subjective appraisals that focus on their triggers, phenomenology, and emotional salience. In this work, we use linguistic signatures to investigate Deja Vu, Involuntary Autobiographical Memories and Unexpected Thoughts. Specifically, we analyze the inherent characteristics of the linguistic patterns in participant generated descriptions of these thought types. We show how, by positioning language as a window into spontaneous cognition, existing theories on these attentional states can be updated and reaffirmed. Our findings align with prior research, reinforcing that Deja Vu is a metacognitive experience characterized by abstract and spatial language, Involuntary Autobiographical Memories are rich in personal and emotionally significant detail, and Unexpected Thoughts are marked by unpredictability and cognitive disruption. This work is demonstrative of languages potential to reveal deeper insights into how internal spontaneous cognitive states manifest through expression. |
| title | A Linguistic Analysis of Spontaneous Thoughts: Investigating Experiences of Déjà Vu, Unexpected Thoughts, and Involuntary Autobiographical Memories |
| topic | Artificial Intelligence Computation and Language |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.04439 |