Partner Keystrokes can Predict Attentional States during Chat-based Conversations

Computer-mediated social learning contexts have become increasingly popular over the last few years; yet existing models of students' cognitive-affective states have been slower to adopt dyadic interaction data for predictions. Here, we explore the possibility of capitalizing on the inherently social component of collaborative learning by using keystroke log data to make predictions across conversational partners (i.e., using person A's data to make prediction about if person B is mind wandering). Log files from 33 dyads (total N = 66) were used to examine: a) how mind wandering (defined here as task-unrelated thought) during computer-mediated conversations is related to critical outcomes of the conversation (trust, likability, agreement); b) if task-unrelated thought can be predicted by the keystrokes of one's partner; and c) how much data is needed to make predictions by testing var- ious window-sizes of data preceding task-unrelated thought reports. Results indicated a negative relationship between task-unrelated thought and perceptions of the conversation, suggesting that attention is an important factor during computer mediated chat conversations. Finally, in line with our hypothesis, one's level of task-unrelated thought was predicted by the keystroke patterns of their conversational partner, but only using small window sizes (5s worth of data).