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The link between mind wandering and learning in children.

Jessica Cherry1, Teresa McCormack1, Agnieszka J Graham1

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Children frequently experience mind wandering, which negatively impacts memory retention. This study shows mind wandering significantly affects learning in children aged 6-11, highlighting its educational importance.

Keywords:
AttentionChild developmentLearningMemoryMind wanderingTask-unrelated thought

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Educational Psychology

Background:

  • Mind wandering, or attention shifting from the present, is common in adults and adolescents, linked to poorer academic performance.
  • Previous research has not directly assessed mind wandering's impact on memory retention in pre-adolescent children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of mind wandering on memory retention in children aged 6-11 years.
  • To determine if mind wandering frequency can be reliably measured in this age group and if it has educational significance.

Main Methods:

  • 97 children (aged 6-11) participated in a listening activity.
  • Mind wandering frequency was measured using intermittent thought probes.
  • A memory retention test was administered post-activity.

Main Results:

  • Children reported mind wandering on approximately 25% of thought probes; frequency did not correlate with age.
  • Mind wandering frequency significantly predicted memory scores, even after controlling for age and vocabulary.
  • Mind wandering mediated the relationship between topic interest and memory performance.

Conclusions:

  • Mind wandering is reliably measurable in children aged 6-11.
  • Mind wandering significantly impacts memory retention in children, indicating its educational relevance.