The Effects of Mind-Wandering, Cognitive Load, and Task Engagement on Working Memory Performance in Remote Online...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Remote Work Studies

Background:

• The shift to remote environments for work and education introduces challenges for cognitive performance.
• Increased distractions in remote settings can lead to mind-wandering and task disengagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of remote versus in-person environments on mind-wandering and multitasking during working memory tasks.
• To compare cognitive performance metrics across different work environments.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted using a working memory task with varying cognitive load and a secondary task.
• Participants completed tasks either in-person or remotely and reported mind-wandering after each trial.

Main Results:

• Remote participants reported significantly more mind-wandering and poorer secondary task performance than in-person participants.
• Working memory accuracy did not differ between groups, and multitasking effects were similar.
• For remote participants, task engagement was a better predictor of working memory performance than cognitive load or mind-wandering.

Conclusions:

• Assumptions of equivalence between remote and in-person work are risky.
• Multiple metrics are crucial for accurately assessing performance in different environments.
• Understanding factors like task engagement is vital for optimizing remote cognitive performance.