The first large-scale observational investigation of electronic reading practices

频繁的休闲阅读与良好的阅读能力和较高的社会经济地位有关。然而，36%的英国成年人不是为了娱乐而阅读。许多人都在努力满足日常的识字要求，而快速的技术发展进一步提高了这种要求。全面理解阅读是开发成功的举措，以提高成人的阅读参与的必要条件。虽然之前的研究主要集中在工作记忆和文本的特性上，但缺乏关于阅读练习的证据，即个人阅读方式的差异，特别是在电子平台上。关于日常生活中纵向阅读的研究，比如阅读一部完整的小说，目前还没有开展。我们的三个原创研究将作为电子阅读实践的第一次大规模观察调查提供重大贡献。我们采用一种创新的方法，一个电子阅读器系统，跟踪阅读过程不引人注目。跟踪工具允许参与者在计算机和移动设备上阅读材料，它包括标注工具，如突出显示和评论。第一项研究评估了动机类型对阅读练习的影响。狂热的阅读者将阅读视为一种活动，他们在阅读过程中经常体验到心流。相比之下，阅读频率较低的人往往受到外部奖励和压力的驱使。众所周知，动机类型会影响阅读投入，但它如何影响阅读实践尚不清楚。通过在实验结束时进行理解测试和限制阅读材料选择的自主权，将诱导一半参与者的外在动机。人们经常把没有时间作为不阅读的原因，然而，只有少数人的阅读频率与他们上网或看电视一样频繁。在第二项研究中，研究人员对阅读虚构小说的成年人进行了为期18个月的观察。这项研究提供了丰富的数据，说明如何将阅读融入日常生活，以及阅读最常见的地点、时间和设备。不情愿的读者有阅读的能力，但他们在没有外在义务的情况下不愿意阅读。他们往往有消极的阅读态度，工作记忆功能比狂热的读者效率低。在这项研究中，我们将确定是否有特定的阅读练习和普遍不愿阅读之间的关系。移动设备的眼球追踪将被添加到电子阅读器中，用于评估频繁阅读者和非阅读者之间的眼球运动模式是否不同。在前两项研究的基础上，我们将建立阅读过程中任务转换的计算模型。第三项研究将使用该模型来理解任务切换与阅读频率的关系。电子阅读器网站的使用将提供新的数据来扩大我们对娱乐性阅读的理解，包括个人喜欢在何时何地阅读以及在何种设备上阅读。这激发了未来提高成人阅读参与度的努力。阅读实践信息可用于设计满足读者需求的阅读空间。此外，任务转换模型对阅读作为一种复杂活动的理论理解做出了相当大的贡献。

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.