How The Word Frequency-Predictability Affect The Fixation Duration And Landing Position In Chinese Reading

The frequency of words and their predictability in the context of a given sentence are two of the strongest determinants influencing reading. So the two key variables influence the amount of time a reader that spends fixating a word in reading and the place where the reader fixates.Our study explores how the relationship between frequency and predictability affect the fixation duration and landing position during normal reading. In this paper, we used Eyelink II eyetracker to monitor participants’reading process.There are three experiments in the paper.In the Experiment1,48university students (mean age21.9years old) were participated in this experiment.2(frequency:high、low)×2(predictability:high、low) ANOVAs were carried out to explore the influence of frequency and predictability on readers’ fixation time.In the Experiment2, in contrast to prior studies, we additionally examine the effect of launch site, that is, the distance between the target word and the location of the pretarget fixation.2(frequency:high、low)×2(predictability:high、low)×3(launch site: near、medium、far) ANOVAs were carried out to explore how the parafoveal preview effect influence the frequency and predictability on readers’ fixation time.In the Experiment3,39university students (mean age20.7years old) were participated in this experiment.2(frequency:high、low)×2(predictability:high、low) ANOVAs were carried out to explore the influence of frequency and predictability on reads’ landing position.Therefore, some conclusions showed as follows:Firstly, the fixation time data showed an additive pattern, with main effects of frequency and predictability. But the data from skip, showed that the interaction between frequency and predictability was significant. Secondly, the data analyses demonstrated that the main effect of Launch site was significant, that is shorter launch distances led to shorter fixation times on the target. And interactions involving launch site were also significant in the first fixation time measure.Thirdly, the data showed that word frequency and word predictability had no influences on the landing position. Finally, the frequency had the influence on the refixation rate of the first landing position.