Eye Movements of Older and Younger Readers When Reading Unspaced Text

Abstract

Older and younger readers read normal and unspaced text as their eye movements were monitored. A high or low frequency word was embedded in each sentence. Global analyses yielded large effects of spacing with unspaced text leading to much longer reading times for both groups, but the older readers had much more difficulty with unspaced text than younger readers. Local analyses of the target word revealed large main effects due to age, spacing, and frequency. In general, the older readers had more difficulty with the unspaced text than younger readers and some reasons why they did so are suggested.