Does deep processing protect against mind wandering and other lapses of attention during learning?

Abstract

Three experiments examined if deep processing would aid in reducing off-task thoughts during learning. In each experiment, participants learned words or pairs of words under deep or shallow conditions. During learning, participants were periodically presented with thought-probes to examine if they were experiencing off-task thoughts (mind wandering, external distraction, mind blanking). Levels of processing was manipulated both within (Experiment 1) and between subjects (Experiments 2 and 3) using structural, rhyme, and semantic judgements and testing memory with cued-recall (Experiments 1 and 2) or recognition (Experiment 3). All three experiments demonstrated a levels of processing effect on memory with better performance in deep compared to shallow conditions. Importantly, in all three experiments rates of off-task thinking (and mind wandering more specifically) were the same across conditions and Bayes factors suggested moderate evidence in favour of the null hypothesis. The results suggest that deep processing does not necessarily protect against mind wandering and other lapses of attention.