Abstract
BackgroundIt was well known that age has an impact on word processing (word frequency or predictability) in terms of fixating time during reading. However, little is known about whether or not age modulates these impacts on saccade behaviors in Chinese reading (i.e., length of incoming/outgoing saccades for a target word).MethodsAge groups, predictability, and frequency of target words were manipulated in the present study. A larger frequency effect on lexical accessing (i.e., gaze duration) and on context integration (i.e., go-past time, total reading time), as well as larger predictability effects on data of raw total reading time, were observed in older readers when compared with their young counterparts.ResultsEffect of predictability and frequency on word skipping and re-fixating rate did not differ across the two age groups. Notably, reliable interaction effects of age, along with word predictability and/or frequency, on the length of the first incoming/outgoing saccade for a target word were also observed.DiscussionOur findings suggest that the word processing function of older Chinese readers in terms of saccade targeting declines with age.
Highlights
It has been well documented that word processing may vary among young and older adult readers of Western languages such as English and German
Recent evidence has revealed a subtle decline in word identification among older adults when they read; that is, older adults spend more time fixating on target words, and regress to them more often than younger readers (Kemper, Crow & Kemtes, 2004; Laubrock, Kliegl & Engbert, 2006; Rayner, Castelhano & Yang, 2009; Rayner, Castelhano & Yang, 2010; McGowan et al, 2014; Whitford & Titone, 2017; Paterson, McGowan & Jordan, 2013a; Paterson, McGowan & Jordan, 2013b; Paterson, McGowan & Jordan, 2013c)
A study conducted by Choi et al (2017) revealed larger predictability effects on fixation time measures of target words based on age groups
Summary
Rayner et al (2006) reported larger frequency effects for native older adult English readers than young adult readers; they failed to observe differences in predictability effects between the two age groups. A study conducted by Choi et al (2017) revealed larger predictability effects on fixation time measures of target words based on age groups. It seemed that the eye movements of the two age groups might be affected by frequency/predictability factors in slightly different ways. It was well known that age has an impact on word processing (word frequency or predictability) in terms of fixating time during reading. Our findings suggest that the word processing function of older Chinese readers in terms of saccade targeting declines with age
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