Eye
movements in relation to mental activity of problem-solving
A. Nakano |
Two
pictorial stimuli (S1 & S2) were successively presented in non-problem-solving
condition (C1) and problem-solving condition (C2). The eye movements
are recorded by the corneal reflection method with vertically moving
film. Quantative analysis on the basis of the number of fixation
was attempted for the data films of 16 primary school children (Experiment
I) and of 8 undergraduates (Experiment II). In the condition of C1,
the number of fixation decreased gradually. When a problem was given,
it turned to increase again. In the condition of C2, it tended to
decrease during the process of problem-solving. It may be assumed
that the decreasing and increasing slope were related to the extent
of easiness and dif3~culty of problem and also to the capacity of
the subject for problem-solving. In addition, a qualitative analysis
was also attempted. The result of the present investigation suggests
that the "drift" pattern appears, when thinking happens
to be inward with the eye actually seeing nothing.
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