Validity of attention self-reports in younger and older adults

Human attention is subject to fluctuations. Mind-wandering (MW) – attending thoughts unrelated the current task demands considered a ubiquitous experience. According Control Failure x Concerns view (McVay & Kane, 2010), MW curbed by executive control, and task-irrelevant enter consciousness due attentional control lapses. The generation of off-task assumed increase with higher number personal concerns. Challenging this view, older adults report less than younger adults. Here, we addressed hypothesis that lower ability notice lapses appraise their on-task focus. In an age-comparative study (N = 40 N 44 adults) using battery three tasks spanning working memory, reading comprehension, sustained attention, assessed correlation between degree self-reported focus performance on trial-by-trial basis. Younger adults' measured through thought probes was correlated equally strongly across trials in all tasks, indicating preserved monitor fluctuations healthy aging. Self-reported concerns' importance did not differ age, they predict tasks. Our shows rates aging do reflect validity appraisal or levels