The first large-scale observational investigation of electronic reading practices

频繁的娱乐性阅读与良好的阅读能力和较高的社会经济地位有关。然而，英国36%的成年人并不是为了娱乐而阅读。许多人在日常识字需求方面苦苦挣扎，而技术的迅速发展又进一步增加了这种需求。全面了解阅读是制定成功的举措，以提高成人的阅读参与。虽然以前的研究主要集中在工作记忆和文本的属性，但缺乏阅读实践的证据，即个人阅读方式的差异，特别是在电子平台上。对日常生活中的纵向阅读实践（如阅读一本完整的小说）的研究尚未开展。我们的三项原创研究将作为第一次对电子阅读实践的大规模观察调查做出重大贡献。我们采用了一种创新的方法，一种电子阅读器系统，可以不引人注目地跟踪阅读过程。跟踪工具允许被试在电脑和移动的设备上阅读材料，它包括标注和评论等注释工具。第一项研究评估了动机类型对阅读实践的影响。狂热的读者将阅读视为一种活动，他们经常在阅读过程中体验到心流。相比之下，不经常阅读的人往往受到外部奖励和压力的驱使。动机类型影响阅读投入是已知的，但它是如何影响阅读实践是未知的。通过在实验结束时进行理解测试和限制参与者选择阅读材料的自主性，将诱导一半的参与者产生外部动机。人们经常报告缺乏时间是不进行更多阅读的原因，但只有少数人阅读的频率与他们上网浏览或休闲看电视的频率一样高。在第二项研究中，成年人阅读一本虚构的小说将被观察18个月。该研究提供了丰富的数据，说明了阅读如何融入日常生活，以及最常见的阅读地点、时间和设备。不情愿的读者有能力阅读，但他们不愿意在没有外在义务的情况下进行阅读。他们倾向于消极的阅读态度，工作记忆功能不如狂热的读者。在这项研究中，我们将确定是否有一个特定的阅读的做法和一般不愿意阅读之间的关系。在前两项研究的基础上，将移动的设备眼动追踪技术应用于电子阅读器，以评估频繁阅读者和非频繁阅读者的眼动模式是否存在差异，并建立阅读过程中任务转换的计算模型。第三项研究将利用该模型来了解任务转换与阅读频率之间的差异。电子阅读器网站的使用将提供新的数据来拓宽我们对娱乐阅读的理解，包括个人更喜欢在哪里、何时和使用什么设备阅读。这激发了未来增加成人阅读参与的努力。阅读实践的信息可以用于设计响应读者需求的阅读空间。此外，任务转换模型提供了一个相当大的贡献，阅读作为一个复杂的活动的理论理解。

Frequent recreational reading is associated with good reading ability and high socio-economic status. Nevertheless, 36% of adults in the UK do not read for pleasure. Many struggle with everyday literacy demands that have been further increased by rapid technological development. Comprehensive understanding of reading is needed for developing successful initiatives to enhance adults' reading engagement. While previous research is largely focused on working memory and properties of text, evidence is lacking on reading practices, that is, the variance in how individuals read, especially on electronic platforms. Studies on longitudinal reading practices in everyday life, such as reading a complete novel, have yet to be carried out.Our three original studies will provide a significant contribution as the first large-scale observational investigation of electronic reading practices. We employ an innovative method, an e-reader system that tracks the reading process unobtrusively. The tracking tool allows the participants to read the material on computers and mobile devices, and it includes annotation tools such as highlighting and comments.The first study assesses the influence of motivation type on reading practices. Avid readers value reading as an activity and they frequently experience flow during reading. Less frequent readers, in contrast, are often driven by external rewards and pressures. Motivation type is known to affect reading engagement, but it is unknown how it influences reading practices. Extrinsic motivation will be induced for half of the participants by including a comprehension test at the end of the experiment and by limiting autonomy in the selection of the reading material.Individuals frequently report lack of time as the reason for not reading more, however only few read as often as they engage in internet browsing or watching television for leisure. In the second study, adults reading a fictional novel will be observed over 18 months. The study provides rich data on how reading can be incorporated into daily life and what are the most common locations, times and devices for reading.Reluctant readers have the ability to read but they do not engage in reading willingly without extrinsic obligation. They tend to have negative reading attitudes and less efficient working memory function than avid readers. In this study we will determine if there is a relationship between specific reading practices and general reluctance to read. Eye tracking with mobile devices will be added to the e-reader and used to assess whether eye movement patterns differ between frequent readers and non-readers.A computational model for task switching during reading will be developed on the basis of the first two studies. The third study will use the model to understand differences of task switching in relation to reading frequency.The usage of the e-reader website will provide novel data to broaden our understanding of recreational reading, including where, when and on which devices individuals prefer to read. This inspires future efforts to increase adult reading engagement. Information on reading practices can be utilized in designing reading spaces that respond to the readers' demands. Additionally, the task switching model provides a considerable contribution to the theoretical understanding of reading as a complex activity.