Abstract
The development of the gaze-contingent moving window paradigm (McConkie & Rayner, 1975, 1976) is discussed and the results of the earliest research are reviewed. The original work suggested that the region from which readers can obtain useful information during an eye fixation in reading, or the perceptual span, was asymmetric around the fixation point, and extended from 3–4 letter spaces to the left of fixation to about 14–15 letter spaces to the right of fixation. Subsequent research which substantiated these findings is discussed. Then more recent research using the moving window paradigm to investigate the following topics (1) effects of reading speed, (2) effects of reading skill, (3) effects of the writing system, (4) effects due to age, (5) effects related to deafness, and (5) effects related to schizophrenia is discussed. Finally, some extensions of gaze-contingent paradigms to areas other than reading are discussed.
Preparation of this paper was supported by the Atkinson Endowment Fund at the University of California, San Diego. Thanks to Erik Reichle and Eyal Reingold and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on an earlier version of the paper.
Preparation of this paper was supported by the Atkinson Endowment Fund at the University of California, San Diego. Thanks to Erik Reichle and Eyal Reingold and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on an earlier version of the paper.