Column setting and text justification influence return-sweep eye movement behavior during Chinese multi-line reading.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Linguistics

Background:

• Effective text presentation is crucial for efficient reading across various formats and publishers.
• Limited research exists on multi-line reading, especially concerning Chinese text.
• Understanding how text layout influences reading behavior is essential for optimizing readability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of single vs. double columns and left- vs. fully-justified text alignment on Chinese reading.
• To analyze how these text formats influence eye movement behavior, particularly return-sweeps.
• To determine if text formatting affects reading efficiency and effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Participants read Chinese texts presented in different formats (single/double columns, left/fully-justified).
• Eye movement data, including saccades and fixations, were recorded and analyzed.
• Reading time and corrective saccades were measured to assess efficiency and accuracy.

Main Results:

• Text format minimally affected overall reading time, indicating consistent reading efficiency.
• Significant differences were observed in return-sweep behavior across formats.
• Single-column and left-justified formats resulted in less efficient return-sweeps with more corrective saccades compared to double-column and fully-justified formats.

Conclusions:

• Text formatting significantly influences eye movement patterns during Chinese reading, particularly return-sweeps.
• While overall reading efficiency remains unaffected, specific formats like double-column and fully-justified text enhance the efficiency of eye movements.
• Optimizing text layout can lead to more accurate visual targeting and fewer corrective eye movements, improving the reading experience.