A “Goldilocks zone” for mind-wandering reports? A secondary data analysis of how few thought probes are enough for reliable and valid measurement
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Thomas R. Kwapil, Associate Professor (Creator)
- Michael J. Kane, Professor (Contributor)
- Paul Silvia, Professor (Contributor)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Abstract: Mind-wandering assessment relies heavily on the thought probe technique as a reliable and valid method to assess momentary task-unrelated thought (TUT), but there is little guidance available to help researchers decide how many probes to include within a task. Too few probes may lead to unreliable measurement, but too many probes might artificially disrupt normal thought flow and produce reactive effects. Is there a “Goldilocks zone” for how few thought probes can be used to reliably and validly assess individual differences in mind-wandering propensity? We address this question by reanalyzing two published datasets (Study 1, n = 541; Study 2, ns ˜ 260 per condition) in which thought probes were presented in multiple tasks. Our primary analyses randomly sampled probes in increments of two for each subject in each task. A series of confirmatory factor analyses for each probe “bin” size tested whether the latent correlations between TUT rate and theoretically relevant constructs like working memory capacity, attention-control ability, disorganized schizotypy, and retrospective self-reported mind wandering changed as more probes assessed the TUT rate. TUT rates were remarkably similar across increasing probe-bin sizes and zero-order correlations within and between tasks stabilized at 8–10 probes; moreover, TUT-rate correlations with other latent variables stabilized at about 8 thought probes. Our provisional recommendation (with caveats) is that researchers may use as few as 8 thought probes in prototypical cognitive tasks to gain reliable and valid information about individual differences in TUT rate.
A “Goldilocks zone” for mind-wandering reports? A secondary data analysis of how few thought probes are enough for reliable and valid measurement
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Created on 4/3/2023
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Behavior Research Methods 55
- Language: English
- Date: 2022
- Keywords
- mind wandering, thought probe, measurement, reliability, validity