Fixation Duration Research Articles

A novel multi-modal model to assist the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder using eye-tracking data.

Timely and accurate detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is essential for early intervention and improved patient outcomes. This study aims to harness the power of machine learning (ML) techniques to improve ASD detection by incorporating temporal eye-tracking data. We developed a novel ML model to leverage eye scan paths, sequences of distances of eye movement, and a sequence of fixation durations, enhancing the temporal aspect of the analysis for more effective ASD identification. We utilized a dataset of eye-tracking data without augmentation to train our ML model, which consists of a CNN-GRU-ANN architecture. The model was trained using gaze maps, the sequences of distances between eye fixations, and durations of fixations and saccades. Additionally, we employed a validation dataset to assess the model's performance and compare it with other works. Our ML model demonstrated superior performance in ASD detection compared to the VGG-16 model. By incorporating temporal information from eye-tracking data, our model achieved higher accuracy, precision, and recall. The novel addition of sequence-based features allowed our model to effectively distinguish between ASD and typically developing individuals, achieving an impressive precision value of 93.10% on the validation dataset. This study presents an ML-based approach to ASD detection by utilizing machine learning techniques and incorporating temporal eye-tracking data. Our findings highlight the potential of temporal analysis for improved ASD detection and provide a promising direction for further advancements in the field of eye-tracking-based diagnosis and intervention for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Eye movements in binary food choice context: assessing the complexity of restaurant menus on virtue vs. vice foods

ABSTRACT This paper explores binary food choices through the lens of information load theory. We conducted two laboratory studies using the eye-tracking approach to understand the influence of the high menu complexity on visual attention for virtue versus vice food options. This paper also examined the moderating effect of time on the initial fixation. Our findings showed that the time duration taken to reach the first fixation influences binary food choices. This was evident when participants were tasked with selecting food options from a high menu complexity. Specifically, fixation duration is greater for virtue food than vice food in a high menu complexity context. However, no differences in fixation duration between vice and virtue foods were observed in low menu complexity. This study provides key insights into understanding how differences in menu complexity impact customers’ binary food choice decisions concerning vice and virtue foods.

Reading comics: The effect of expertise on eye movements

The theory of expertise suggests that there should be observable differences in the eye movement patterns between experts and non-experts. Previous studies have investigated how expertise influences eye movement patterns during cognitive tasks like reading. However, the impact of expertise on eye movements in comics, a multimodal form of text, remains unexplored. This article reports on a study that uses eye tracking to examine patterns in the ways that experts and non-experts read comics. Expert participants (14) with experience in reading comics than non-expert participants (17). When controlling for variables such as layout and text quantity, we found significant differences in visual scanning between experts and non-experts. Experts exhibited more frequent saccades and greater amplitude of saccades. Further analysis revealed distinct strategies in processing text and image content between the two groups: the interaction between expertise level and content type in specific AOI showed significant differences across multiple visual measurement metrics, including Average duration of fixations, number of fixations, and number of saccades within AOI. These findings not only support the applicability of the expertise level theory in the field of comic reading but also provide a new perspective for understanding the reading processing of multimodal texts.

Fixation durations on familiar items are longer due to attenuation of exploration.

Previous studies have shown that fixations on familiar stimuli tend to be longer than on unfamiliar stimuli, theorized to be a result of retrieval of information from memory. We hypothesize that extended fixations are due to a lesser need to explore an already familiar stimulus. Participant's gaze was tracked as they tried to encode or retrieve a familiar face displayed either alone or alongside other unfamiliar faces. Regardless of the memory task (encoding\retrieval), longer fixation durations were observed when a single familiar face was presented alone, and not when presented among unfamiliar ones. Thus, fixations were not prolonged when it was possible to explore other, unfamiliar stimuli. We conclude that prolonged fixations on familiar stimuli reflect a lesser need to explore an already familiar percept. The results underscore how memory representations influence active sensing, yielding fresh insights into efficient deployment of attention resources. We conclude that fixation durations could be used in applied memory detection tests, preferably together with other measures and when the familiar stimulus is presented alone.

Effects of sequential and non-sequential presentation conditions of multiple-stem facts on memory integration and cognitive resource allocation.

What limits the self-generation of new knowledge in the memory integration process? One striking contender is the amount of necessary pieces of information that are dispersed. Specifically, when essential information is scattered across multiple sources/places, it becomes challenging to effectively integrate and generate new knowledge. Most of the studies on memory integration have focused on the study of paired stem facts, but have neglected the exploration of multiple-stem facts. The present study examined college students' performance on memory integration under different conditions of three stem facts. In Experiment 1, participants were exposed to a series of novel, authentic stem facts in which every three relevant ones could be integrated to generate new knowledge. The results of Experiment 1 found that college students could spontaneously generate a new piece of information by integrating two or three separate but related facts. The integration can occur in at least two distinct types due to the different presentation orders of the learning materials: sequential recursive integration and non-recursive integration. College students performed better in sequential recursive integration than in non-sequential recursive integration, and this difference in integration performance is not caused by differences in memory for the stem facts. Based on Experiment 1, Experiment 2 used eye-tracking technology to explore the allocation of internal cognitive resources across different conditions of three stem facts. We found that in non-sequential recursive integration, college students had the longest visual duration and the highest number of fixations on the second stem fact. In sequential recursive integration, there were no other significant differences in the number and duration of visual fixations for the three stem facts. College students paid longer fixations to the second stem fact and the third stem fact in the non-sequential recursive condition than in the sequential recursive condition. Our study suggests that when information is related but cannot be integrated, longer fixation indicates stumbling when dealing with an unresolvable difficulty. When knowledge is presented in a stepwise manner (such as in the sequential recursive integration condition), it results in better semantic memory extension.

The effects of embedded quizzes on self‐regulated processes and learning performance during a multimedia lesson

AbstractBackgroundPrevious research has demonstrated that quizzing can improve self‐regulation processes and learning performances. However, it remains unclear whether quizzes in multimedia material bring similar benefits, and whether interindividual differences such as working memory capacity (WMC) modulate quizzing effects.AimsThis study aimed to examine the effects of embedded quizzes (multiple quizzes within the learning sequence) with feedback during a multimedia learning sequence on self‐regulated processing (monitoring and control) and learning performances on repeated (material already tested) and new (untested) questions, and possible WMC moderation on performances.Sample and MethodsParticipants were 59 students who learned a multimedia neuroscience course module in either a no‐quiz or embedded quizzes condition. With regard to self‐regulated processing, control was assessed with eye‐tracking measures (fixation durations and transitions between texts and illustrations), and monitoring by comparing self‐reported judgements of learning with actual performances (calibration). At the end, students' WMC was measured, and learning performances were assessed with repeated and new questions.ResultsQuizzing improved learning performances on repeated and new questions, and enhanced monitoring (better calibration). Students with low WMC benefited more from quizzing for new questions than those with high WMC. However, contrary to our hypothesis, the embedded quizzes group allocated less time to the learning than the no‐quiz group.ConclusionsEmbedded quizzes are relevant tools to help students recalibrate their monitoring process and foster more effective self‐regulated learning. Results confirm that the use of quizzes can be recommended to improve the learning of multimedia material, especially among students with low WMC.

A study on color visual perception of museum exhibition space based on eye movement experiments

Color is an essential element in the exhibition space of museums, influencing people’s visual experience. To quantitatively study the relationship between color and individual visual perception in museum exhibition spaces, the study used eye-tracking technology combined with a questionnaire, exploring the relationship between color and visual perception in the exhibition environments of history museums in terms of hue, saturation, and brightness of color. Taking the Ruijin Central Revolutionary Base in Jiangxi Province as a historical display space for research, the results show that when the saturation is 69–77%, or the hue is red (0°H), the exhibited. environments have stronger color attractiveness. The study demonstrated that the first fixation duration in eye movement data significantly negatively correlates with the subject’s personal preference, comfort, pleasure, and attractiveness. Researchers can use this as an evaluation parameter for visual perception of exhibition space.

How does contextual information affect aesthetic appreciation and gaze behavior in figurative and abstract artwork?

Numerous studies have investigated how providing contextual information with artwork influences gaze behavior, yet the evidence that contextually triggered changes in oculomotor behavior when exploring artworks may be linked to changes in aesthetic experience remains mixed. The aim of this study was to investigate how three levels of contextual information influenced people's aesthetic appreciation and visual exploration of both abstract and figurative art. Participants were presented with an artwork and one of three contextual information levels: a title, title plus information on the aesthetic design of the piece, or title plus information about the semantic meaning of the piece. We measured participants liking, interest and understanding of artworks and recorded exploration duration, fixation count and fixation duration on regions of interest for each piece. Contextual information produced greater aesthetic appreciation and more visual exploration in abstract artworks. In contrast, figurative artworks were highly dependent on liking preferences and less affected by contextual information. Our results suggest that the effect of contextual information on aesthetic ratings arises from an elaboration effect, such that the viewer aesthetic experience is enhanced by additional information, but only when the meaning of an artwork is not obvious.

"Mirror, mirror in the call": Exploring the Ambivalent Nature of the Self-view in Video Meeting Systems with Self-Reported & Eye-Tracking Data

Video meeting systems offer great potential for work and life, but they can also have negative effects. One reason is the presence of technical stimuli that do not exist in the physical world. A prominent example is the self-view feature, a mirrored image of oneself shown during the video meeting. The self-view feature comes with a trade-off between the advantage of enhancing control and the disadvantage of increasing cognitive load of its users. So far, research is scarce when it comes to understanding this ambivalent nature and studies mostly relied on self-reported data without considering the actual interaction with the self-view. To address this gap, we conducted an experimental study with 57 participants and two design variants (with/without self-view), analyzed user perceptions through surveys and interviews, and explored gaze patterns using eye-tracking technology. Results reveal varying perceptions of cognitive load and control among self-view users and between the design variants, highlighting its ambivalent nature. We see differences in how participants interact with the self-view. In a cluster analysis, we identify three user groups (Benefiting Users, Cognitively Challenged Users, Control Losing Users). These groups also show differences in visual behavior, especially median fixation duration, and user characteristics. Based on our findings, we outline design recommendations for more flexible and intelligent design solutions by considering user groups and their individual differences.

Online Reviews Meet Visual Attention: A Study on Consumer Patterns in Advertising, Analyzing Customer Satisfaction, Visual Engagement, and Purchase Intention

This study aims to bridge the gap between traditional consumer behavior analysis and modern techniques by integrating big data analysis, eye-tracking technology, and survey methods. The researchers considered that understanding consumer behavior is crucial for creating effective advertisements in the digital age. Initially, a big data analysis was performed to identify significant clusters of consumer sentiment from online reviews generated during a recent seasonal promotional campaign. The key factors were identified and grouped into the “Product”, “Model”, “Promo”, and “Effect” categories. Using these clusters as a foundation, an eye-tracking analysis measured visual attention metrics such as the fixation duration and count to understand how the participants engaged with the different advertisement content. Subsequently, a survey assessed the same participants’ purchase intentions and preferences related to the identified clusters. The results showed that the sentiment clusters related to products, promotions, and effects positively impacted the customer satisfaction. The eye-tracking data revealed that advertisements featuring products and models garnered the most visual attention, while the survey results indicated that promotional content significantly influenced the purchase intentions. This multi-step approach delivers an in-depth understanding of the factors that affect customer satisfaction and decision-making, providing valuable information for optimizing marketing strategies in the Korean skincare market. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating consumer sentiment analysis with visual engagement metrics to develop more effective and compelling marketing campaigns.

Effect of Stimulus Regularities on Eye Movement Characteristics

Humans have the unique ability to discern spatial and temporal regularities in their surroundings. However, the effect of learning these regularities on eye movement characteristics has not been studied enough. In the present study, we investigated the effect of the frequency of occurrence and the presence of common chunks in visual images on eye movement characteristics like the fixation duration, saccade amplitude and number, and gaze number across sequential experimental epochs. The participants had to discriminate the patterns presented in pairs as the same or different. The order of pairs was repeated six times. Our results show an increase in fixation duration and a decrease in saccade amplitude in the sequential epochs, suggesting a transition from ambient to focal information processing as participants acquire knowledge. This transition indicates deeper cognitive engagement and extended analysis of the stimulus information. Interestingly, contrary to our expectations, the saccade number increased, and the gaze number decreased. These unexpected results might imply a reduction in the memory load and a narrowing of attentional focus when the relevant stimulus characteristics are already determined.

The association between eye movement characteristics and cognitive function in adolescents with major depressive disorder

ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the relationship between eye movement characteristics and cognitive function in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD). MethodEyeLink 1000 eye tracker was used to obtain eye movement data in free-viewing and smooth pursuit tasks. Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney test were used for inter-group comparison of demographic and clinical data. Spearman correlation was used to analyze the correlation between eye movement characteristics and cognitive function. ResultsAdolescents with MDD showed lower saccade amplitude in the free-viewing task and more fixations and saccades in the smooth pursuit task. In the free-viewing task, fixation count, saccade duration and saccade speed were found to be positively correlated with immediate memory and attention; fixation duration was negatively correlated with immediate memory. In the smooth pursuit task, saccade count was positively correlated with the faux pas test; fixation duration and saccade duration were significantly correlated with memory and attention. ConclusionAdolescents with MDD showed abnormalities in several indices of eye movement, and altered eye movement variables were also correlated with cognitive deficits. Eye-tracking technology helps illustrate the diverse cognitive strategies employed by individuals during cognitive tasks, allowing researchers to explore subtle differences in cognitive processes.

Fixation patterns in pairs of facial expressions—preferences of self-critical individuals

So far, studies have revealed some differences in how long self-critical individuals fixate on specific facial expressions and difficulties in recognising these expressions. However, the research has also indicated a need to distinguish between the different forms of self-criticism (inadequate or hated self), the key underlying factor in psychopathology. Therefore, the aim of the current research was to explore fixation patterns for all seven primary emotions (happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, contempt, anger, and surprise) and the neutral face expression in relation to level of self-criticism by presenting random facial stimuli in the right or left visual field. Based on the previous studies, two groups were defined, and the pattern of fixations and eye movements were compared (high and low inadequate and hated self). The research sample consisted of 120 adult participants, 60 women and 60 men. We used the Forms of Self-Criticizing and Self-Reassuring Scale to measure self-criticism. As stimuli for the eye-tracking task, we used facial expressions from the Umeå University Database of Facial Expressions database. Eye movements were recorded using the Tobii X2 eye tracker. Results showed that in highly self-critical participants with inadequate self, time to first fixation and duration of first fixation was shorter. Respondents with higher inadequate self also exhibited a sustained pattern in fixations (total fixation duration; total fixation duration ratio and average fixation duration)—fixation time increased as self-criticism increased, indicating heightened attention to facial expressions. On the other hand, individuals with high hated self showed increased total fixation duration and fixation count for emotions presented in the right visual field but did not differ in initial fixation metrics in comparison with high inadequate self group. These results suggest that the two forms of self-criticism - inadequate self and hated self, may function as distinct mechanisms in relation to emotional processing, with implications for their role as potential transdiagnostic markers of psychopathology based on the fixation eye-tracking metrics.

Effects of teacher students’ study progress on their gaze behavior while solving of an economics knowledge test

Positive effects of study progress on the economic knowledge of bachelor students are evident and were often referred to as proof of the validity of tests in the context of a longitudinal analysis. However, differences between domain-specific (e.g., semester) or discipline-specific (e.g., attended courses) indicators of study progress on students’ solving the economics tasks are relevant for both diagnostic and instructional purposes, but have hardly been researched to date. In an eye tracking study, we therefore calculated the average fixation duration during 900 task-solving processes of 35 economics teacher students solving 25 single-choice economics tasks. A multi-level mediation analysis shows that both indicators (i.e., semester and attended courses) were positively correlated with economics knowledge. At the same time, the impact of semesters and courses attended on their test performance was partially mediated by average fixation duration on the attractor and distractors, respectively. This suggests that visual attention differs during the task-solving process depending on the domain- or discipline-specific indicator of study progress.

The timing of vision in basketball three-point shots.

The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between gaze behaviour, motor responses and the direction of visual attention when different levels of basketball players were engaged in a basketball three-point shot. Twelve near-experts and 12 amateur basketball players, wearing an eye tracker and an inertial sensor, performed 20 shots on a basketball field, receiving the ball from a teammate, who then acted as the opponent. The trial sequence was subdivided into catching, aiming and ball flight phases. The analysis demonstrated that near-experts exhibited longer fixation durations and saccades of lower amplitude and peak velocity than amateurs. The gaze behaviour showed that all players utilized fixations during the last part of the catching phase, during most of the aiming phase, and during the final part of the ball flight phase. The greatest number of saccades was exhibited between the aiming and the ball flight phases, when the ball was released by the players. Saccades were oriented toward the teammate during the catching phase. Instead, during the aiming and ball flight phases, saccade orientations were not polarized toward a specific visual cue. In conclusion, vision plays a critical role in every aspect of the three-point shot in basketball, from catching the ball, to aiming preparation, and shot execution. It is a key factor in decision-making, spatial awareness, and overall performance in team sports.

Eye-Tracking Analysis: Examining the Impact of Fan Culture and Entertainment News on Engagement with Social Justice Information

Celebrity culture and idolatry are prevalent nowadays. The development of online social media facilitates the distribution of entertainment news, fan culture has become increasingly prevalent. On the other hand, the extreme fan culture brought negative impacts to people which affects their psychological and physical status. This also leads to a negative stereotype of fan culture, i.e. addicted to entertainment news and not concern themselves of public affairs. This study aims to investigate the impact of fan culture on individuals’ attention to public affairs. Social justice news refers to news that reports and reveals inequality, injustice and oppression in society. Public attention to social justice news can help promote fairness and justice, social progress and change. This study utilized eye-tracking to collect data to investigate the effect of idolatry on social justice news attention. In the experiment, subjects were randomly divided into two groups; Group A subjects would view images of news web pages containing entertainment news and social justice news, while Group B subjects’ material consisted of social justice news and other types of news. Subjects were asked if they are a fan of any celebrity after the trial. The entire browsing process was recorded by an eye-tracker. The eye-tracking data revealed that, generally, people paid less attention to social justice news than to entertainment news and other unrelated topics. This is evidenced by shorter total fixation duration (TFD), fewer fixation counts (FC), and longer times to first fixation (TFF) for social justice news. Analysis of the two categories of subjects’ gender and whether or not they were stargazers revealed that, contrary to the stereotypes commonly perceived by the general public, fans and females would pay more attention to social justice information, exhibiting more TFD and FC. The present study’s use in this area of research. The public to abandon stereotypes and view fans and females in a fair and rational way. At the same time, the media should increase the exposure and weight of social justice news and direct viewers to pay more attention to social news.

Eye-Tracking Evidence for the SNARC Effect: Unveiling Attentional Stages

The Spatial Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) effect, which involves the conjunction of spatial and numerical response coding, was initially identified through reaction time experiments involving numerical stimuli. Research has revealed a common tendency among individuals to associate smaller numbers with the left side and larger numbers with the right side. Furthermore, scholars have identified additional dimensions, such as the “up-down” and “near-far” associations, that contribute to the complexity of the SNARC effect. However, the universality of the SNARC effect and the underlying psychological and physiological mechanisms continue to be a topic of debate within the academic community. Various studies have proposed a range of interpretations and understandings of this effect. The present study delves into the cognitive mechanisms of the SNARC effect, employing eye-tracking technology to objectively quantify participants’ responses. Utilizing the parity judgment task, a method frequently employed in SNARC effect research, in conjunction with eye-tracking, participants were instructed to judge the parity of numerical stimuli while directing their gaze to the left or right, and above or below the numbers as per the experimental requirements. Colored blocks were positioned around the numbers to serve as visual anchors, indicating the spatial directions of left/right and top/down. Data analysis revealed that when smaller numbers (1-4) were presented, participants exhibited a tendency to focus on the left color block adjacent to the number, characterized by a higher Total Fixation Duration (TFD) and a shorter Time to First Fixation (TFF). In contrast, when larger numbers (6-9) appeared, participants were more likely to focus on the right color block, indicating the presence of a SNARC effect in the horizontal dimension. However, no significant effect was observed in the vertical dimension. Additionally, this study innovatively employed a blank page in conjunction with a test page to differentiate between the early and late stages of participants’ attentional processing. The examination of TFF and TFD data uncovered a two-stage processing mechanism associated with the SNARC effect. This experimental approach and methodological framework offer novel perspectives that contribute to the advancement of research in this domain.

The impact of interword spacing on inference processing during text reading: Evidence from eye movements

ABSTRACT Removing interword spacing has been shown to disrupt lower-level oculomotor processes and word identification during text reading. However, the impact of these disruptions on higher-level processes remains unclear. To examine the influence of spacing on inferential processing, we monitored eye movements while participants read spaced and unspaced passages that were strongly or weakly constrained toward an inference. Removing spaces disrupted reading fluency, as evidenced by longer reading times, longer fixation durations, reduced skipping, and shorter saccades. We also observed the effects of inferential constraint for spaced passages as characterized by longer reading times, more regressions, and longer regression-path durations for weakly than strongly constrained passages. However, these constraint effects were absent for unspaced passages, suggesting that removing spaces disrupts inferential processing. Our results are consistent with models of reading and discourse processing that assume that higher-level reading processes depend on the quality of lexical representations developed at earlier, word-level reading stages.

Visual symptoms in postural tachycardia syndrome: An investigation of position-dependent visual exploration.

Patients with postural tachycardia syndrome report position-dependent visual symptoms. Despite their impact on daily life, these symptoms have remained largely unexplored in research. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of visual symptoms in postural tachycardia syndrome and possible underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Fifteen patients with postural tachycardia syndrome and 15 healthy controls were included in the study. Through a comprehensive array of measurements, including haemodynamics, subjective symptom assessments, eye movement tracking and pupil diameter analysis, participants were assessed during free image exploration in both supine and 60° head-up tilt positions. During head-up tilt, patients showed a decreased number and duration of fixations, as well as a decreased number, peak velocity and amplitude of saccades compared to the supine position and the control group. This reduction in visual exploration occurred primarily in the peripheral field of view and coincided with the occurrence of subjective visual symptoms. No significant differences in the saccade main sequence were observed between the two groups in either body position. Patients with postural tachycardia syndrome have a reduced exploration of the peripheral field of view when in an upright body position, potentially leading to tunnel vision. Since the normality of the saccade main sequence in patients combined with the focus on the centre of the field of view and the lower saccade amplitudes points to an intact brainstem function, the decrease in peripheral visual exploration may be attributed to a position-dependent dysfunction of the frontal eye field.

The significance of maps in video games for the interpretation of spatial situation

ABSTRACT This article examines the significance of the world map in video games for the interpretation of spatial situations. An example is the popular role-playing game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (TW3). Nowadays, most video games are characterized by the presence of a spatial aspect. The game world map is the most important navigational element of the game that the gamer can use. To this end, the authors decided to test the importance of the game world map in the context of analyzing different examples of spatial situations that appear in TW3 by the respondents. Eye movement tracking was chosen as the research method. The analysis was conducted using statistical tests. Both gamers and non-gamers of TW3, gamers and non-gamers in general, participated in the survey. Each subject was shown 5 movies (1 introductory movie, 4 movies in the main part of the study) from the gameplay of the game, in which the game world map was opened. After each video, a question was asked about both the gameplay and the game world map. It was found that familiarity with TW3, frequency of playing video games influenced the correctness and time of answering the questions asked. In addition, by analyzing mean pupil diameter it was found that the game world map and gameplay segments do not cognitively burden the users. By analyzing the duration of fixations and the number of fixations, differences in visual strategy were observed between the groups of test subjects.