Can fidgeting help students maintain attention?: how restricting movement and varying cognitive load relate to attention on reading comprehension task
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Indiana State University
Abstract
In an attempt to understand the implications that fidgeting may have upon student academic
performance in the classroom, the relationship between fidgeting behaviors, sustained attention,
and hyperactivity was examined. Twenty-eight fifth grade students were asked either to move as
normal or have their movement restricted during a reading task. They were also asked to
remember either one or five digits while engaging in a reading task in order to vary the cognitive
load placed upon each participant during with the task. Teachers were asked to complete a
hyperactivity rating scale for each participant to determine their typical levels of hyperactivity in
the classroom. It was hypothesized that there would be main effects of cognitive load and
movement restriction on reading comprehension and instances of participant fidgeting. It was
also hypothesized that there would be a correlation between reported hyperactivity and instances
of fidgeting. Ultimately, none of the hypotheses were supported. Implications, such as the social
stigma of fidgeting and expected classroom behavior, limitations, such as measuring and coding
difficulties, and possible avenues for future research, including examining groups with and
without ADHD diagnoses, are discussed.
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Frankenthal, P. (2019). Can fidgeting help students maintain attention? How restricting movement and varying cognitive load relate to attention on reading comprehension task. Retrieved from ProQuest Digital Dissertations. (AAT 22583859)