The influence of parafoveal preprocessing and linguistic context on the optimal landing position effect

Several experiments have shown the existence of an optimal landing position effect during isolated word recognition as well as during text reading; both the probability of refixating the test word and the gaze duration are smaller if the eye first fixates near the center of the word than if the eye first fixates other positions in the word. However, recent data indicate that the optimal landing position effect is weakened under normal reading conditions, when words are included in texts. The purpose of the present experiment was to test whether parafoveal preprocessing or linguistic context specific to the text reading situation could be responsible for this weakening. With a paradigm that approximates normal reading, albeit in a somewhat slower manner, it was shown that although the possibility of preprocessing words in parafoveal vision and of predicting them from preceding context globally affected refixation probability and gaze duration on the word, this did not strongly affect the optimal landing position effect. Since the global effects of these factors were comparable to those found by other authors in normal reading, it was concluded that the weakening of the optimal landing position effect during text reading results from the influence of other factors peculiar to this situation. Hypotheses are proposed as explanations of the effects of the manipulated factors on oculomotor behavior.