김현진(이화여자대학교)| 이중언어학회 | 2015
The purpose of this research is to clarify the differences on eye fixation, saccade, and regression between Koreans and advanced non-Korean learners during a reading process using eye-tracking technology.
To comprehend the reading process between two groups, the need for precise and scientifically quantified data was evident. By using eye-tracking devices, the following was discovered. First, the difference between Koreans and advanced non-Korean learners on number of eye fixation was determined. The number of eye fixation for Koreans and advanced non-Korean learners was 66 and 114.3, respectively, which indicated that Koreans automated eye movements, instead of fixation, during the reading process. Second, the following was measured between Koreans and advanced non-Korean learners: total saccade length, saccade counts average, saccade length average, and the number of saccade letters. Total saccade length and saccade counts average were higher for the advanced non-Korean learners, but this is because the task took longer to complete for the non-Koreans. Saccade length average for the Koreans was 181.5px, while that for the non-Koreans was 143.8px. After converting the pixels to number of letters, the Koreans saccade 8 to 9 letters, while the non-Koreans saccade 6 to 7 letters, which corresponded to the result from Rayner(1997). Third, regression counts and regression rate average of the Area of Interests(AOIs) for Koreans and advanced non-Korean learners were investigated, and regression rate average for the non-Koreans(14.2 times) was higher than that for the Koreans(11.4 times). However, after investigating regression rate average between the groups, the Koreans(17.2%) showed higher rate than the non-Koreans(14.6%). Hence, Koreans showed smaller saccade counts average and regression counts, indicating that Koreans had better understanding of the content.