Mind wandering during hypertext reading: The impact of hyperlink structure on reading comprehension and attention.

Online reading is becoming more and more popular in learning and teaching environments. However, little is known about characteristics of hypertexts that influence on reading comprehension and attention. Some previous studies have suggested that attention failures also referred to as mind wandering (MW) occur whenever the available resources of the reader (e.g., working memory capacity; WMC) do not match the task demands (e.g., text difficulty). This study aims to investigate the effect of restructuring a linear text into different hypertext types by means of hyperlinks on MW in a cognitively demanding task like reading. We hypothesized that participants exposed to a difficult to read hypertext with networked structure engage more in task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs) compared to participants asked to read a difficult but hierarchically organized hypertext. 90 participants read either an easy or difficult version of the same unfamiliar hypertext with either a hierarchical or networked structure and with embedded thought probes. Reading comprehension and WMC measures followed. As expected, participants reading the difficult (to read) hypertext with networked link structure showed significantly more TUTs than participants reading the hierarchical link structure hypertext. In addition, readers with a low-WMC showed significantly more TUTs while reading a demanding hypertext regardless of its structure. These findings are in line with the view that mind wandering occurs if available resources do not match with task demands, and thus deepen assumptions about hyperlinks as new cohesive devices.

Concurrent prospective memory task increases mind wandering during online reading for difficult but not easy texts.

Many prior theories have tried to explain the relationship between attentional processes and mind wandering. The resource-demand matching view argues that a mismatch between task demands and resources led to more mind wandering. This study aims to test this view against competing models by inducing mind wandering through increasing the level of demands via adding a prospective memory task to cognitively demanding tasks like reading. We hypothesized that participants with a second task still in mind (unfinished group) engage more in task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs) and show less text comprehension compared to participants who think a second task is finished (finished group). Seventy-two participants had to study 24 items of a to-do list for a recall test. After a first cued recall of ten items, participants were either told that a second task was finished or that the recall was interrupted and continued later. All participants then started reading an easy or difficult version of the same unfamiliar hypertext, while being thought probed. Text comprehension measures followed. As expected, participants in the unfinished group showed significantly more TUTs than participants in the finished group when reading difficult texts, but, contrary to our assumptions, did not show better text comprehension measures when reading difficult text. Nevertheless, participants compensate for the influence of the second task by reading longer, which in turn has a positive effect on their reading knowledge. These findings support the resource-demand-matching model and thus strengthen assumptions about the processing of attention during reading.