Jennifer C. McVay|Michael J. Kane
Why does working memory capacity predict variation in reading comprehension? On the influence of mind wandering and executive attention.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
people better readers others variation comprehension ability predicted measures working memory capacity wmc primary goal study investigate mediating role mindwandering experiences association wmc normal individual differences reading comprehension predicted executiveattention theory wmc eg engle kane 2004 used latentvariable structuralequationmodel approach testing skilled adult readers 3 wmc span tasks 7 varied readingcomprehension tasks 3 attentioncontrol tasks mind wandering assessed using experimenterscheduled thought probes 4 different tasks 2 reading 2 attentioncontrol results support executiveattention theory wmc mind wandering across 4 tasks loaded onto single latent factor reflecting stable individual difference important mind wandering significant mediator relationship wmc reading comprehension suggesting wmccomprehension correlation driven part attention control intruding thoughts discuss implications theories wmc attention control reading comprehension