The factors that trigger lapses of attention (e.g., mind-wandering) during new learning remain unclear. The present study investigated whether the likelihood of experiencing an attentional lapse depends on (a) the importance of the material being studied and (b) the learner's age. In two experiments, younger and older adults completed a delayed free recall task in which to-be-remembered words were paired with point values. Thought probes were embedded into the encoding phase of each list to provide an index of one's ability to maintain attention on task and prevent recurrent lapses of attention (i.e., the consistency of attention). Experiment 1 revealed all individuals better remembered high-value information at the expense of low-value information, and older adults were more frequently focused on the task than younger adults. Participants were also less likely to remember an item at test if they experienced an attentional lapse while learning said item, and they were more consistently focused on the task when studying high-value information than when studying low-value information. Age did not moderate either of these effects. Experiment 2 replicated the findings from Experiment 1 and further revealed that the positive association between age and attentional consistency was explained by age-related differences in affect, motivation, personality, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptomology. Once these factors were accounted for, older age was associated with increased attentional inconsistency (less on-task focus). While future replication of this finding is needed, implications for education and theories of both mind-wandering and aging are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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研究有价值信息时走神：年龄、性格特征和背景因素的作用。


在新学习过程中引发注意力不集中（例如，走神）的因素尚不清楚。本研究调查了经历注意力失误的可能性是否取决于 （a） 所研究材料的重要性和 （b） 学习者的年龄。在两个实验中，年轻人和老年人完成了一项延迟自由回忆任务，其中待记单词与分值配对。思想探索被嵌入到每个列表的编码阶段，以提供一个人保持对任务的注意力并防止反复注意力失误（即注意力的一致性）的能力的指数。实验 1 显示，所有人都以牺牲低价值信息为代价更好地记住了高价值信息，并且老年人比年轻人更频繁地专注于任务。如果参与者在学习某项时遇到注意力失误，他们也不太可能记住测试中的某个项目，并且在研究高价值信息时，他们比在研究低价值信息时更一致地专注于任务。年龄并没有缓和这些影响。实验 2 复制了实验 1 的结果，并进一步揭示了年龄与注意力一致性之间的正相关是由情感、动机、人格和注意力缺陷多动障碍症状的年龄相关差异来解释的。一旦考虑了这些因素，高龄与注意力不一致的增加（对任务的关注度降低）相关。虽然未来需要复制这一发现，但讨论了对教育的影响以及走神和衰老的理论。（PsycInfo 数据库记录 （c） 2024 APA，保留所有权利）。