title: Unaware yet reliant on attention: Experience sampling reveals that mind-wandering impedes implicit learning.
abstract: Although implicit learning has been widely studied, controversy remains regarding its reliance on attentional resources. A central issue in this controversy is the question of how best to manipulate attention. The usual approach of comparing implicit learning in a serial reaction time (SRT) task under single- versus dual-task conditions is known to be problematic, because the secondary task may not only divert attention away from the primary task, but also interfere with the implicit-learning process itself. To address this confound, in the present study we used an experience-sampling instead of a dual-task approach. We assessed lapses of attention (mind-wandering) with experience-sampling thought probes during a standard implicit-learning SRT task. The results revealed a significant negative correlation between mind-wandering and implicit learning. Thus, greater task focus was associated with improved implicit sequence learning. This result suggests that, at least in the context of this SRT task, optimal implicit learning relies on attention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Bldg 551, Room 1304, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9660, USA. franklin@psych.ucsb.edu.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smallwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Bldg 551, Room 1304, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9660, USA.
authors.forename: Claire M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Zedelius
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Bldg 551, Room 1304, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9660, USA.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Broadway
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Bldg 551, Room 1304, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9660, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Schooler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D013850:Thinking; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Automatic processing; Conscious awareness; Control processes; Implicit learning; Mind-wandering; Sequence learning; Serial reaction time