Mood and Focus of Attention During Reading

• In Event: 75.017 - Emotions and Their Role in STEM Learning

Abstract

Although affect has been noted to influence focus of attention, how this occurs for applied learning tasks, such as comprehending scientific text, is less well understood. The current study examined how mood influenced participants’ focus of attention while engaged in a learning task. College students (N = 110) were randomly assigned to a positive, negative, or neutral mood induction, and then read a scientific text while thinking aloud. Focus of attention was inferred from word use while thinking aloud. Compared to neural moods, positive moods decreased self-focus and increased local focus on the text. These findings are discussed in the context of research on mood and attention, as well as their implications for theoretical accounts of affect and cognition.

Authors

• Catherine M. Bohn-Gettler, College of Saint Benedict

• Virginia E. Clinton, University of North Dakota

• David Rapp, Northwestern University