Abstract
The aim of the present study was to expand previous research on the value of frontal theta/beta-ratio as a state measure of attentional control, by applying this measure during reading. Healthy female undergraduate students (N = 24) read two texts (with and without nonsense words), self-reported mind wandering during reading and filled in questionnaires about attentional control in daily life. Frontal theta/beta-ratios during the baseline phase and during reading were strongly related. The average frontal theta/beta-ratio during reading predicted reading comprehension of the text with nonsense words and fully mediated the relationship between frontal theta/beta-ratio during the baseline and reading comprehension. Fluctuations in frontal theta/beta-ratio during reading were related to frontal theta/beta-ratio during baseline and to self-reported mind wandering during reading for the text with nonsense words. Results show that frontal theta/beta-ratio is a promising state measure of attentional control during reading. Replication in other samples and with different texts is needed to better understand its potential.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 187-211 |
| Number of pages | 25 |
| Journal | Cognition, Brain, Behavior. An Interdisciplinary Journal |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2020 |
Keywords
- Attentional control
- EEG
- Mind wandering
- Reading comprehension
- Theta/beta ratio (TBR)
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
