Research Symposium

BIO

Hello my name is Kayla Potts and I am a Jr participating in UROP. I am so excited to share with everyone my process and thoughts throughout the year. Please stop by.

Investigating the Influence of Comprehension Questions on Readers’ Gaze in Graphic Narratives

Abstract

This study employs eye-tracking technology to investigate visual attention patterns in response to multimedia stimuli, aiming to unravel the factors influencing gaze behavior. Participants will be exposed to a diverse set of multimedia content, including comics, while their eye movements are to be tracked using state-of-the-art eye-tracking equipment. The study incorporates a diverse participant pool to ensure a broad representation of demographic factors. Data analysis involved the examination of fixation durations, saccade patterns, and the identification of regions of interest within the stimuli. We conducted the study and expect to find results that align with previous works with eye tracking in comic book reading. Typically, the average reader, especially one who has never picked up a comic book, will jump from the book at the top left of the page to what seems to be the biggest box or the box with the most eye-popping action, even if it is not the next in chronological order. For our study, since our pool of participants will be random and assorted from various backgrounds, we expect most readers to follow the typical trend seen within parallel studies. This eye-tracking study provides valuable insights into the nuanced ways individuals navigate and engage with multimedia content. Understanding these visual attention patterns can inform content creators, marketers, and designers about optimizing their materials to capture and retain audience attention effectively. The results emphasize the importance of tailoring design elements based on content type to enhance user experience and engagement in digital environments.

Keywords: Eye Tracking Glasses