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The influence of parafoveal word length and contextual constraint on fixation durations and word skipping in reading

The influence of parafoveal word length and contextual constraint on fixation durations and word skipping in reading
The influence of parafoveal word length and contextual constraint on fixation durations and word skipping in reading
The present study examined the relationship between the predictability of words within a sentence and the availability of parafoveal word length information, on when and where the eyes move in reading. Predictability influenced first-pass reading times when parafoveal word length preview information was correct, but not when it was incorrect. Similarly, for saccades launched from near the target word (word n), predictability influenced the probability with which it was skipped only when the word length preview was correct. By contrast, for saccades launched farther away from word n, predictability influenced word skipping regardless of the parafoveal word length preview. Taken together, the data suggest that parafoveal word length preview and predictability can act as a joint constraint on the decision of when and where to move the eyes.
1069-9384
466-471
White, Sarah.J.
38a313eb-8f07-4c5e-af36-10044136d5e3
Rayner, Keith.
8a888795-4994-40f9-b908-41347d257ad2
Liversedge, Simon.P.
3ebda3f3-d930-4f89-85d5-5654d8fe7dee
White, Sarah.J.
38a313eb-8f07-4c5e-af36-10044136d5e3
Rayner, Keith.
8a888795-4994-40f9-b908-41347d257ad2
Liversedge, Simon.P.
3ebda3f3-d930-4f89-85d5-5654d8fe7dee

White, Sarah.J., Rayner, Keith. and Liversedge, Simon.P. (2005) The influence of parafoveal word length and contextual constraint on fixation durations and word skipping in reading. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 12 (3), 466-471.

Record type: Article

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between the predictability of words within a sentence and the availability of parafoveal word length information, on when and where the eyes move in reading. Predictability influenced first-pass reading times when parafoveal word length preview information was correct, but not when it was incorrect. Similarly, for saccades launched from near the target word (word n), predictability influenced the probability with which it was skipped only when the word length preview was correct. By contrast, for saccades launched farther away from word n, predictability influenced word skipping regardless of the parafoveal word length preview. Taken together, the data suggest that parafoveal word length preview and predictability can act as a joint constraint on the decision of when and where to move the eyes.

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More information

Published date: June 2005

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 55525
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/55525
ISSN: 1069-9384
PURE UUID: b4d3cac4-c3db-47aa-921e-cbd6a6ce5f28

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Date deposited: 01 Aug 2008
Last modified: 08 Jan 2022 01:12

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Contributors

Author: Sarah.J. White
Author: Keith. Rayner
Author: Simon.P. Liversedge

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