This study investigated what academic traits, attitudes, and habits predict individual differences in task-unrelated thought (TUT) during lectures, and whether this TUT propensity mediates associations between academic individual differences and course outcomes (final grade and situational interest evoked by material). Undergraduates (N = 851) from ten psychology classes at two US universities responded to thought probes presented during two early-course lectures; they also indicated sitting in the front, middle, or back of the classroom. At each probe, students categorized their thought content, such as indicating on-task thought or TUT. Students also completed online, academic-self-report questionnaires at the beginning of the course and a situational interest questionnaire at the end. Average TUT rate was 24% but individuals’ rates varied widely (SD = 18%). TUT rates also increased substantially from the front to back of the classroom, and modestly from the first to second half of class periods. Multiple-group analyses (with ten classroom groups) indicated that: (a) classroom media-multitasking habits, initial interest in the course topic, and everyday propensity for mind-wandering and boredom accounted for unique variance in TUT rate (beyond other predictors); (b) TUT rate accounted for unique (modest) variance in course grades and situational interest; and (c) classroom media multitasking and propensity for mind-wandering and boredom had indirect associations with course grades via TUT rate, and these predictor variables, along with initial interest, had indirect associations with end-of-term situational interest via TUT rate. Some academic traits and behaviors predict course outcomes in part because they predict off-task thought during class.

本研究调查了哪些学术特征、态度和习惯可以预测讲座期间与任务无关的思维（TUT）的个体差异，以及这种 TUT 倾向是否介导了学术个体差异和课程结果（最终成绩和材料引起的情境兴趣）之间的关联。来自两所美国大学的十个心理学课程的本科生（ N = 851）对两门早期课程讲座中提出的思想探索做出了回应；他们还表示坐在教室的前面、中间或后面。在每次探究中，学生都会对他们的想法内容进行分类，例如指出任务想法或 TUT。学生还在课程开始时完成在线学术自我报告调查问卷，并在课程结束时完成情境兴趣调查问卷。平均 TUT 率为 24%，但个人的比率差异很大（ SD = 18%）。从教室前部到后部，TUT 率也大幅上升，从上半节课到下半节课，TUT 率略有上升。多组分析（十个课堂小组）表明：(a) 课堂媒体多任务处理习惯、对课程主题的最初兴趣以及日常走神和无聊的倾向导致了 TUT 率的独特差异（超出其他预测因素） ; (b) TUT 率考虑了课程成绩和情境兴趣的独特（适度）差异； (c) 课堂媒体多任务处理、走神和无聊倾向通过 TUT 率与课程成绩有间接关联，这些预测变量以及初始兴趣通过 TUT 率与期末情景兴趣有间接关联。 一些学术特征和行为可以预测课程结果，部分原因是它们可以预测课堂上的偏离任务的想法。