Theses and Dissertations

Aaron Y. Wong

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Moss, Jarrod

Committee Member

Bradshaw, Gary L.

Committee Member

Eakin, Deborah K.

Committee Member

Jarosz, Andrew F.

Date of Degree

8-7-2020

Original embargo terms

Complete embargo for 1 year

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Cognitive Science

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Psychology

Abstract

During reading, readers engage in comprehension and metacognitive processes. When problems in integrating the current information with the situation model occur, readers tend to make regressions—backward eye movements—to find information in prior text to resolve the problem (Schotter et al., 2014). Prior research suggests that cues related to regressions are used when making metacomprehension judgments. The usage of these cues may be influenced by a person’s ability to attend to comprehension processes during reading. The current study examined the relationship between comprehension and metacomprehension processes by using regressions as a measure of online monitoring. Experiment 1 examined how attention to end-of-sentence regressions affected the usage of cues related to regressions. During reading, participants heard tones when an end-of-sentence regression was made, random tones, or did not hear tones. Participants in the random tone condition were less likely to use cues related to regressions than participants that did not hear any tones. Experiment 2 examined how awareness of comprehension difficulties and working memory affected the usage of cues related to regressions when making metacomprehension judgments. During reading, participants performed a secondary task that influenced the ability to attend to comprehension processes. Participants also completed working memory tasks. Participants in the distracted condition were less likely to use cues related to regressions than participants in the control condition. In addition, participants with low attentional control were more likely to use cues related to regressions than participants with high attentional control. The findings suggest that attention to comprehension processes and working memory play an important role in the relationship between comprehension and metacomprehension.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/18028

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