Saccade control during reading

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Reading processes of Japanese text were investigated experimentally using saccade and fixation as the indices. During text reading we understand a meaning of the text using precise control of the eye movements. Two kinds of eye movements, i.e., saccade and fixation, have been experimentally found during reading. Saccade has quick acceleration and stopping phase in eye movements. Further, saccade has close connection with the issue on how to determine next fixation locus during reading. What kind of parameter controls the magnitude of saccade. Is saccade magnitude computed intentionally (or automatically) or does it depend on structure of the text? The purpose of the present research was to investigate saccade and fixation behavior when the subject presented texts having variety of text structure. Following results are obtained :(1) Saccade is likely not to change depending on the text structure while fixation time depends on structure, especially on semantic information. Further, saccade has found to change depending on difference of language and kanji-mixed (and hirakana only) text properties.(2) Saccade appears independent of reading direction such as vertical and horizontal reading.(3) Optimal Viewing Position (OVP), previously observed in English and French, was also observed in Japanese. Saccade control during OVP behavior showed the eyes automatically detected optimal position during reading a single word. The study showed saccade control has influences during reading in various ways.