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Dispositional factors account for age differences in self-reported mind-wandering
Jessica Nicosia1, David Balota1
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences.
Psychology and Aging
|June 14, 2021
Summary
Dispositional factors like conscientiousness and interest fully explain why older adults mind-wander less. Motivation did not significantly impact mind-wandering (MW) in this cognitive aging study.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience of Aging
Background:
- Aging is paradoxically linked to reduced mind-wandering (MW).
- Dispositional factors may explain this negative age-MW relationship.
- Understanding these factors is crucial for cognitive aging research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate dispositional factors (conscientiousness, interest, motivation) in explaining the age-MW relationship.
- To examine if motivation manipulation affects sustained attention and MW in younger and older adults.
- To differentiate between self-report and objective MW measures.
Main Methods:
- Experimental manipulation of motivation using a modified Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART).
- Mediation and regression analyses to assess dispositional factors' predictive power on MW.
- Comparison of younger and older adults' performance and self-reported MW.
Main Results:
- Conscientiousness and interest fully accounted for the age-related differences in self-reported MW.
- Motivation manipulation affected sustained attention in younger but not older adults.
- Motivation did not uniquely predict MW beyond age; dispositional factors explained No-Go accuracy differences.
Conclusions:
- Conscientiousness and interest are key dispositional factors mediating the age-MW relationship.
- Motivation's role in MW appears limited, especially in older adults.
- Future research should consider dispositional factors in cognitive aging and MW.
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