New research suggests that blinking while reading isn't random and may be linked to cognitive effort. Scientists found that people blinked more frequently after encountering uncommon words, indicating a potential 'cognitive break'. Blinking rates also increased at punctuation marks and line endings, suggesting we align blinks with natural attentional pauses in text.
Blinking serves a crucial physiological function, by clearing debris from our eyes and keeping them lubricated. But now, scientists have found it may also have a cognitive role.
In 1945, Arthur Hall at the University of Sheffield in the UK reported on the frequency of blinking as people read aloud, finding that it mostly coincided withat Ghent University in Belgium and her colleagues analysed data gathered previously for the Ghent Eye Tracking Corpus study, in which 15 people were monitored as they silently read an Agatha Christie novel across four sessions, collectively blinking 30,367 times.
“Increased blinking at punctuation marks and line endings likely reflects that these are natural attentional breakpoints – we align with these breakpoints in the text and take a break to blink,” says Bogaerts. “Together, these findings support the hypothesis that blink timing during reading is not random, but strategically aligned with the cognitive demands posed by the text.”at the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
BLINKING COGNITION READING ATTENTION EYE MOVEMENT
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Large drones with blinking lights now spotted over South Jersey communitiesEvesham Township, NJ, residents reported seeing large drones flying over Burlington County on Dec. 5, 2024
Read more »
Pearl Jam’s newly announced 2025 tour dates include two shows in Pa.: Where to buy ticketsPearl Jam will perform on May 16 and May 18 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
Read more »
Pierce the Veil’s ‘I Can’t Hear You’ tour includes two stops in Pa.: Where to buy ticketsThe band will perform on May 19 in Philadelphia and on May 25 in Burgettstown.
Read more »
Atlanta police join UnitedHealthcare CEO murder probe as gunman may have left NYCOne of the lead police investigators working on tracking down the person who gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson said the gunman may have left NYC.
Read more »
Atlanta police join UnitedHealthcare CEO murder probe as gunman may have left NYCOne of the lead police investigators working on tracking down the person who gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson said the gunman may have left NYC.
Read more »
Atlanta police join UnitedHealthcare CEO murder probe as gunman may have left NYCOne of the lead police investigators working on tracking down the person who gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson said the gunman may have left NYC.
Read more »