Uncovering the Mental Effort of Reading Using Eye-Tracking Technology

Abstract

Whenever we learn about new topics by reading, we use varying degrees of effort to process what we read. Many factors may affect how much effort you feel like you are using (called cognitive workload) to perform reading tasks—such as how long you have already been reading, your reading skill, and even how you feel that day. Understanding how much effort it takes to understand reading material is vital because scientists can use this information to create better reading experiences and programs—especially for those who find reading difficult. Scientists have explored the effects of cognitive workload on reading comprehension to better understand how readers process information and store it in memory. One of the ways scientists do this is by using tools called eye trackers to measure the cognitive workload a reader is experiencing as they read.