Early event-related brain potentials and hemispheric asymmetries reveal mind-wandering while reading and predict comprehension.
The electroencephalogram (EEG) of mind-wandering (MW) was examined in event-related potentials (ERPs) and pre-stimulus alpha (8-12 Hz), over lateral-posterior sites of left and right brain hemispheres, while individuals read text passages. After controlling for individual differences in general intelligence (g), P1-asymmetry was greater (right-minus- left) and N1 amplitudes were more negative, when individuals were not MW (i.e., they were reading attentively). Approximately 82% of variance in reading comprehension was accounted for by the predictors: g, pre-stimulus alpha, left- and right-hemisphere P1, and left-hemisphere N1 (when individuals were not MW). Together, individual differences in MW-sensitive ERPs uniquely accounted for approximately 38% of the variance in reading comprehension, over and above prediction by g and pre-stimulus alpha. The within-person effect of MW on P1-asymmetry was estimated to account for an additional 4.6% of criterion variance. Implications for EEG/ERP research into attention, language processing, hemispheric asymmetries, and individual differences are discussed.
University of California, Santa Barbara, USA. Electronic address: broadway@psych.ucsb.edu.
James M
JM
Broadway
University of California, Santa Barbara, USA.
Michael S
MS
Franklin
University of California, Santa Barbara, USA.
Jonathan W
JW
Schooler
D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D032882:Comprehension / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D011932:Reading
Attention; Event-related potentials; Hemispheric asymmetry; Individual differences; Language; Mind-wandering