What Is the Nested Observer Window Model of Consciousness?

TL;DR

Consciousness may not be one train of thought but a constellation of nested windows, each processing a separate element and synchronizing into a combined experience, like pixels forming a mosaic photograph. Jonathan Schooler argues the self is a fractal-like combination of selves, where you could be a pixel in a higher-level consciousness that is itself a pixel in another.

Transcript

The mind, rather than simply being a single train of consciousness, may actually be a constellation of multiple windows of consciousness, each processing their own separate element. If we're willing to postulate that an amoeba could be conscious, I don't see why my gut or my kidney couldn't be conscious. Jonathan Skooler is distinguished professor ... Read More

Key Insights

• The Nested Observer Window model proposes the mind is a constellation of multiple windows of consciousness, each processing a separate element, rather than a single train of consciousness. The metaphor is a mosaic photograph where lower windows synchronize to produce one combined experience.
• Consciousness in this model has a fractal-like quality: the self we experience is actually a combination of selves, each with its own consciousness. You and others could be pixels in a higher-level window, which could itself be a pixel in an even higher one.
• Meta awareness is gaining awareness of the contents of your own mind after having lost track of them, such as realizing your eyes moved across a page while your mind was elsewhere. Schooler calls it a major human accomplishment for self-regulation.
• Mind wandering occupies an estimated 25 to 50 percent of waking time, though Schooler considers 50 percent an overestimate. It interferes with reading, demanding tasks, and even causes driving accidents, yet remains extremely common.
• Mind wandering aids creativity: Schooler found creative individuals have about 20 percent or more of their ideas while mind wandering, especially in low-demand situations like walking or showering, letting different ideas come together.
• Mind wandering also supports planning, relieves boredom, and causes dishabituation. Schooler's study showed a repeated word's semantic meaning was refreshed after mind wandering, providing a mental break that lets people return refreshed.
• Driving while mind wandering illustrates window autonomy: one window focuses on driving while another does the wandering, and the apex toggles between them. Schooler speculates the wandering window may keep processing even when attention shifts away, explaining incubation effects.
• Schooler assumes free will within the nested model, comparing it to steering a kite of consciousness. Each person can help guide and expand higher-level understanding by engaging in curiosity and openness.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the Nested Observer Window model of consciousness?

The Nested Observer Window model, developed by Jonathan Schooler with collaborator Justin Riddle, proposes that the mind is not a single train of consciousness but a constellation of multiple windows of consciousness, each processing its own separate element. Its fundamental metaphor is a mosaic photograph: lower-level windows synchronize together to produce one combined experience that you perceive when looking out at the world.

Q: Why does the model describe consciousness as fractal-like?

Schooler says consciousness has a fractal-like quality in which the self we experience is actually a combination of selves, each with its own consciousness. Just as pixels form a picture, individuals could be pixels in a higher-level window of consciousness. That higher window, he warns, should not get too full of itself, because it in turn could be a pixel forming an even higher-level window, and so on up the levels.

Q: What is meta awareness according to Jonathan Schooler?

Meta awareness is gaining an awareness of the contents of your own mind after having lost track of them. Schooler's example is reading an important document, realizing your eyes have moved across the page while your mind was fundamentally elsewhere, then catching yourself. That re-noticing is meta awareness. He calls it a major human accomplishment enabling self-regulation, emotional regulation, and regulating mind wandering, though staying constantly in that state means you are not fully in the moment.

Q: How often do people mind wander?

Schooler says there is evidence that people mind wander somewhere between 25 and 50 percent of the time, although he believes the 50 percent figure is an overestimate. Despite mind wandering being problematic in many contexts, this high frequency raises the question of why humans do it so often, which led Schooler to investigate the benefits it may provide alongside its obvious costs.

Q: What are the benefits of mind wandering?

Schooler identifies several benefits. It aids creativity, with creative individuals having about 20 percent or more of their ideas while mind wandering, especially during low-demand activities like walking or showering. It helps with planning, relieves boredom during dull situations such as boring lectures, and produces dishabituation. In one study, a repeated word regained its semantic meaning after mind wandering, giving a mental break that lets people return to a task refreshed.

Q: Why is mind wandering considered problematic?

Mind wandering is problematic in many contexts because you cannot simultaneously do a demanding task and think about something unrelated. Schooler notes it interferes with reading performance, undermines any demanding activity, and there is even evidence that mind wandering while driving causes accidents. Because it occupies a large share of waking time, its costs are significant, which is why he studies both the harms and the compensating benefits.

Q: How does the model explain driving while mind wandering?

Schooler treats driving while mind wandering as a compelling example of separate windows. One window focuses on driving while another does the mind wandering, and the apex toggles back and forth between them. Your hands keep acting consciously even as attention turns to the wandering, showing the windows' autonomy. He further speculates that when the road becomes demanding and you shift to driving, the mind-wandering window may keep processing rather than shutting down, which could explain incubation effects.

Q: Does the Nested Observer Window model allow for free will?

Yes. Even though the levels of consciousness in the model are all nested, Schooler assumes free will. He uses the metaphor of steering the kite of consciousness, saying each person in their own way is able to help guide the kite and expand understanding by engaging in curiosity and openness. This means that even as pixels forming a higher-level consciousness, individuals retain freedom to influence that higher-level picture.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Jonathan Schooler, a distinguished professor of psychological and brain sciences with over 200 publications and more than 45,000 citations, presents his Nested Observer Window model. It uses a mosaic photograph as its fundamental metaphor, proposing consciousness is built from many lower-level windows that synchronize into one combined experience.

• The model gives consciousness a fractal-like quality where the self is a combination of selves, each with its own consciousness. Individuals could be pixels forming a higher-level window, which should not get too full of itself since it too could be a pixel in a yet higher window. Schooler still assumes free will.

• The conversation also covers meta awareness, catching your mind after it has wandered, and mind wandering itself. Though mind wandering harms reading and demanding tasks and can cause accidents, it aids creativity, planning, relieving boredom, and dishabituation. Schooler wants to extend physics by adding extra dimensions of time to account for consciousness.