Abstract
Eye gaze is a window onto cognitive processing in tasks such as spatial memory, linguistic processing, and decision making. We present evidence that information derived from eye gaze can be used to change the course of individuals' decisions, even when they are reasoning about high-level, moral issues. Previous studies have shown that when an experimenter actively controls what an individual sees the experimenter can affect simple decisions with alternatives of almost equal valence. Here we show that if an experimenter passively knows when individuals move their eyes the experimenter can change complex moral decisions. This causal effect is achieved by simply adjusting the timing of the decisions. We monitored participants' eye movements during a two-alternative forced-choice task with moral questions. One option was randomly predetermined as a target. At the moment participants had fixated the target option for a set amount of time we terminated their deliberation and prompted them to choose between the two alternatives. Although participants were unaware of this gaze-contingent manipulation, their choices were systematically biased toward the target option. We conclude that even abstract moral cognition is partly constituted by interactions with the immediate environment and is likely supported by gaze-dependent decision processes. By tracking the interplay between individuals, their sensorimotor systems, and the environment, we can influence the outcome of a decision without directly manipulating the content of the information available to them.
Highlights
Eye gaze is a window onto cognitive processing in tasks such as spatial memory, linguistic processing, and decision making
In experiment 1 we aimed to establish that eye gaze closely tracks the trajectory of an unfolding moral decision, as it does for preferences between faces and snack foods
We found that participants chose the alternative most viewed at the time of interruption in 59.64% of trials [t(19) = 5.17, P < 10−4, d = 1.16; Fig. 3]. They had shorter response times from decision prompt until button press when choosing the target alternative over the nontarget [mean difference (Mdiff) = −0.05 s, P < 10−5, d = 0.67], as well as being more confident when choosing the target over the nontarget (Mdiff = 0.25, P < 0.01, d = 0.46)
Summary
Eye gaze is a window onto cognitive processing in tasks such as spatial memory, linguistic processing, and decision making. At the moment participants had fixated the target option for a set amount of time we terminated their deliberation and prompted them to choose between the two alternatives. We hypothesized that tracking the gaze of participants while they decided between two options would provide sufficient knowledge that could be exploited to influence the outcome of the moral deliberation. We told the participants that they would view the alternatives a short but random amount of time, after which we would remove the alternatives from view and prompt them to indicate their choice During their deliberation, participants looked freely between the two alternatives before making their choice, a design allowing us to demonstrate that gaze reflects decision-making processes even for moral choices (experiment 1). To show that knowledge of these dynamics can be exploited
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
