• SzethFriendOfNimi
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    75
    ·
    edit-2
    4 months ago

    I did find this paper where somebody used the term “mindless reading”

    Smallwood, J. (2011). Mind‐wandering while reading: attentional decoupling, mindless reading and the cascade model of inattention. Language and Linguistics Compass, 5(2), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-818x.2010.00263.x

    Seems that is the term used for it such as this talk in 2006

    https://ies.ed.gov/director/conferences/06ies_conference/posters/readingtq_reichle.asp

    Abstract: “Mindless reading” occurs when, during reading, our eyes continue to move across the printed page in spite of the fact that we are busy thinking about things that are often completely unrelated to the text.

    • doughless
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      35
      ·
      4 months ago

      I can sometimes do this without my attention even shifting. I’ll mentally read every word individually for a while, but forget to put them together to actually understand them.

  • peppers_ghost@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    55
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    4 months ago

    This was a symptom of ADHD that I discussed with my doctor when I got diagnosed tbh

    • Anticorp
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      20
      ·
      4 months ago

      Is it an actual ADD symptom? I do this all the time.

      • gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        9
        ·
        4 months ago

        Yeap, one of the BIG ones according to multiple doctors I’ve seen

        Either that or dyslexia can apparently cause this too, according to my dyslexic friend in HS

        • Anticorp
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          4 months ago

          I think I do have some low-grade dislexia, but not enough for it to cause any significant issues. Just occasionally, especially if I’m tired, I’ll read things completely out of order.

      • peppers_ghost@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        4 months ago

        It was for me, I’m not sure if it’s universal. Consider talking to a professional if you’re concerned about it.

        • Anticorp
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          4 months ago

          I’m already middle-aged, so changing the way my mind works at this point would probably cause more harm than good. I’ve already figured out how to live productively with the unique workings of my psyche. Thank you though!

          • the_joeba
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            12
            ·
            4 months ago

            My wife was diagnosed at 42, it’s changed her life for the better. She is still the same person, adhd quirks and all, boy she has a better understanding of her behavior, and more control.

              • Hadriscus@lemm.ee
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                4
                ·
                4 months ago

                we know we’re hardwired by a life of struggles and workarounds but our brains have more plasticity than we give ourselves credit for

    • brygphilomena
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      4 months ago

      I could do this, reading out loud even. And not know what the fuck I just read for the last 10 minutes.

      And yes, I have ADHD.

    • Nuke_the_whales
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      4 months ago

      If it happens all the time I would say so. This happens to me when I’m tired so I just figured it’s my brain lagging

    • MisterFrog
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      4 months ago

      Is this an indicator or straight up ADHD specific? Because this is me constantly

  • rumba@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    50
    ·
    4 months ago

    Back when I came into the office every day, it was a 45-minute commute. At least one day every week, I had no active memory of getting from the north side of the beltway to my house (about 20-25 minutes). I’d reach this point, and it was like someone flipped a switch, and I became aware that I existed.

    I’ve done this with Audio Books. I’ve listened to 2-3 chapters, and they’ll mention an assassin; Brain goes, wait, assassin? WHAT ASSASSIN? I start rolling back find out I completely tuned out 20 minutes of the story.

    • Anti-Face Weapon
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      23
      ·
      4 months ago

      This is why I can’t listen to audio books. I just get lost in the soothing voice and my mind wonders. Paper books are where it’s at.

      • Raiderkev
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        4 months ago

        Podcasts and technology connections on YouTube. I totally enjoy them, but if I’m halfway tired and my mind doesn’t want to focus and I put either on, I’m passing out after 10 minutes.

    • BenLeMan
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      11
      ·
      4 months ago

      Yeah getting out of your car and realizing you have no idea how you got here is spooky.

    • SupraMario
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      4 months ago

      Yea but then you realize that you have now made the audiobook last 30mins longer, so it’s a win… especially if it’s a good book.

  • CarbonatedPastaSauce
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    29
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    4 months ago

    I call it “ADHD” because I damn sure was thinking about 3 other things while I was reading-notreading.

  • samus12345
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    17
    ·
    4 months ago

    Surely there’s a very long German word for it.

      • samus12345
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        11
        ·
        4 months ago

        While this is more common for people with ADHD, it can happen to anyone.

          • gamermanh@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            4 months ago

            Get in the habit of replacing “fuck” with “sheiße” and that problem is solved!*

            *People might think you’re weird/a Nazi for this, even if you’re actually learning German, because people are weird

        • socsa@piefed.social
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          4 months ago

          As an ADHD person, sight reading is actually my shitty superpower. I don’t understand it, but my difficulty is just starting the book. But once I’m in it’s pure hyper focus.

      • yetAnotherUser@discuss.tchncs.de
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        4 months ago

        More like Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung.

        By the way, using the ‘ß’ as you did would force the preceding vowel to have a stretched pronunciation.

        And I don’t know about you, but in my opinion defeeßit and deeßorder sounds awful.

    • CaptainBlagbird
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      edit-2
      4 months ago

      It 's not that long, I think it is called “Leselücke” (reading gap).

      If you want, you could call it “Lesegedankenwanderungsamnesie” (reading wandering thought amnesia) 🤔

    • jumperalex
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      4 months ago

      at least 35 syllables long and you’ll forget what your reading halfway through the word.

    • xspurnx@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      4 months ago

      I’ll bet there is - some of my friends call it “Leseschlaf” (reading sleep), which seems fitting.

  • finitebanjo
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    14
    ·
    edit-2
    4 months ago

    Thank god this relatable to so many of us, I was wondering if this was a symptom of a larger disorder whenever this happens to me.

    The worst is when I’m reciting word for word technical information about chemistry or physics, because I often like to explain how things work to friends and family while I work on stuff, and then I’ll get interrupted or distracted and have no memory of wtf I was just saying for the last several minutes straight.

  • Eugene V. Debs' Ghost@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    12
    ·
    edit-2
    4 months ago

    I think it could be argued for a state of hypnosis, like how people drive for miles but just don’t remember how they did it entirely.

    Difference is, you clearly drove and got there safely. You didn’t read the words on the page, you just moved your eyes across ink blots.

    • Mongostein@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      edit-2
      4 months ago

      I was a professional driver for 20 years. I can attest that autopilot is a real thing.

      It’s easy to monitor traffic on either side but end up daydreaming and miss a turn.

      I’ve been out of the transport industry for five years now and I still occasionally find myself auto-piloting to places I used to deliver to. It’s so weird.

      • Raiderkev
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        4 months ago

        I drove black cars for a bit, I’ve definitely just taken the airport exit once when I was out of it. Glad I’m not alone.

        • Mongostein@lemmy.ca
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          5
          ·
          edit-2
          4 months ago

          Yeah. It’s not a big deal, but how you handle it really matters. (This is advice for anyone else reading; I’m sure you know.)

          If you miss your turn because you’re daydreaming or whatever, just keep going. DO NOT swerve three lanes over to an exit or whatever other dumb shit. You fucked up. Deal with it without putting other people in danger.

  • snooggums
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    4 months ago

    I vary between spacing out, zoning out, or the already mentioned autopilot.

  • Fedizen
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    4 months ago

    Motor tasks like eye movement I think would fall under autopilot. I think it increases with age and adhd