Date of Award

2021

Publisher

North Dakota State University

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Awarded

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

College

Science and Mathematics

Faculty Advisor

Wissman, Kathryn

Description

Research has shown that interleaving (a study technique where two topics are practiced in an alternating fashion) enhances learning and memory. However, it is unclear whether interleaving impacts the frequency of mind-wandering. The current research explores the extent to which interleaving reduces mind-wandering using a between-subjects design. Participants completed the experiment remotely and learned 40 bird images from 8 distinct families. Bird images were presented in pairs from two different families (e.g., interleaved) or individually from one family (e.g., blocked). After a brief distractor task, participants completed a final classification test. Participants also completed a post-assessment questionnaire regarding the level of difficulty, confidence, and likelihood of missed information throughout the experiment. Results showed no significant differences between the interleaved versus blocked groups for rates of mind-wandering or final test performance. These outcomes have important implications for memory and retention in authentic learning environments.

Rights

NDSU policy 190.6.2

Rights Link

https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf

Author ORCID Identifier

0000-0001-5702-7114

Handle Identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/10365/32748

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