Eye tracking equipment for research on mathematical cognition

人们如何解决数学问题？现代认知科学探索了人们用来执行许多认知任务的心理过程。特别有趣的是我们每天使用的活动。数字是现代世界不可或缺的一部分，人们经常面临需要做出数学决定的问题，从在餐厅留下多少小费到如何管理债务。解决数学问题需要大量的思考时间：认知科学家面临的挑战是试图理解大脑在做什么。我已经要求使用眼球跟踪系统，让我能够在解决问题的过程中详细研究凝视模式。事实证明，眼球跟踪数据在阅读和视觉感知等广泛的相关领域非常有用。并提高了我们对各种复杂的现实世界任务的理解，如驾驶。将这种方法应用到数学认知中已经是姗姗来迟。它将使我能够分解解决问题的时间，并将观察其他行为的模式联系起来，从而扩展现有的关于思考与解决问题有关的想法。通过仔细操纵人们被分配到的问题的类型和他们被要求执行的任务，我将整合眼睛凝视信息、解决时间和错误模式，以更好地理解数学问题解决和数学技能。

How do people solve mathematical problems?  Cognitive science explores the mental processes that people use to perform many cognitive tasks.  Of special interest are activities that we use every day.  Numbers are an integral part of the modern world and people are constantly confronted with problems that require mathematical decisions, from how much of a tip to leave in a restaurant to how to manage debt.  Mathematical problem solving involves a great deal of thinking time:  The challenge for cognitive scientists is to try and understand what the mind is doing.  I have requested an eye-tracking system to allow me to study in great detail patterns of gaze during the solution process.  Eye-tracking data has proven very useful in a wide variety of related areas, such as reading and visual perception, and has enhanced our understanding of a variety of complex real-world tasks such as driving.  Application of this methodology to mathematical cognition is overdue.  It will allow me to decompose solution times and connect patterns of looking to other behaviours, thus extending existing ideas about how thinking relates to problem solving.  By carefully manipulating the types of problems that people are given and the tasks they are asked to perform, I will integrate eye gaze information, solution times, and patterns of errors to develop a better understanding of mathematical problem solving and mathematical skill.