Chapter 11 - Eye Movement Control in Reading: An Overview and Model

Abstract

This chapter explains the eye movement control in reading and related models. Two general categories of models are studied: those that assign lexical processing or other ongoing comprehension processes a major role in influencing eye movements, versus those that maintain that eye movements are mainly controlled by oculomotor factors and are only indirectly related to ongoing language processing. The first category is referred to as processing model and the second as oculomotor model. The chapter briefly reviews primary empirical facts that exist about eye movement control in reading. Both the models are analyzed, and arguments are put forward about major limitations associated with each model in as much that they are qualitative, that they are verbal descriptions that lack sufficient power to be precisely tested. Empirical data collected over the years suggest that where readers look next (fixation location) and when they move to a new location (fixation duration) are relatively independent processes, but they are both online decisions. Forays have been made into the concepts of “preview benefit” and “gaze duration,”. The chapter concludes with an overview of the E-Z Reader model.