When Wandering Minds are Just Fine While most psychologists call mind wandering a detrimental “failure of executive control," a new study suggests that it's not always harmful. By Peter Reuell June 27, 2018 Focus cooltree7/Adobe Stock It’s a common experience for most students. You’re sitting in a lecture that covers material youUnlock this article for FREE. Keep Reading Log in to your Mindful account for uninterrupted access.