The Role of Executive Functioning and Reward Sensitivity in Dispositional Hyperfocus among University Students

Vries, Vera de (2025) The Role of Executive Functioning and Reward Sensitivity in Dispositional Hyperfocus among University Students. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.

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Abstract

Dispositional hyperfocus (DHF) is an intense and sustained state of attentional focus that occurs primarily during intrinsically rewarding activities. While hyperfocus has been linked to both productivity and cognitive rigidity, its underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. Executive functioning (EF) deficits have been identified as predictive of DHF, and reward sensitivity (RS) has been associated with increased attentional persistence and is suggested to influence the effect of EF deficits on rewarding activities, but its role in DHF – direct and interactive – remains unclear. This study examines whether EF deficits predict DHF and whether RS contributes to DHF beyond EF, both as a main effect and in interaction with EF. A total of 351 participants completed self-report measures assessing DHF, EF deficits, and two components of RS: reward responsivity (RR) and motivation to approach reward (MR). Hierarchical regression analyses supported that EF deficits significantly predicted higher DHF scores. Additionally, MR – but not RR – uniquely predicted DHF beyond EF deficits, suggesting that DHF is more strongly associated with reward-driven motivation rather than general reward sensitivity. Moderation analyses did not provide significant evidence that the RS-components altered the EF-DHF relationship, indicating that RS and EF may contribute independently or interact in more complex ways not captured by this model. These findings highlight the importance of both executive and motivational factors in understanding DHF and may help develop targeted strategies to optimize the benefits of hyperfocus while mitigating its potential downsides in academic and professional settings.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor)
Supervisor name:	Garcia Pimenta, M.
Degree programme:	Psychology
Differentiation route:	None [Bachelor Psychology]
Date Deposited:	10 Apr 2025 10:09
Last Modified:	10 Apr 2025 10:09
URI:	http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/4820

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