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In this study, we used eye-tracking methodology for deeper understanding of the refutation text effect on online text comprehension. A refutation text acknowledges the reader's alternative conceptions about a phenomenon, refutes them and presents the correct conceptions. We tested two hypotheses about its facilitation effect: the coherence hypothesis (refutation text is more coherent than standard text, thus facilitating comprehension) and the elaboration hypothesis (refutation text involves deeper processing, thus facilitating comprehension). Forty university students read one refutation text and one non-refutation text about two science topics. Offline data confirmed that refutation text readers recall more scientific facts than non-refutation text readers. Online eye-tracking measures revealed both an increase and a decrease in reading time in response to the refutation statements. Topic-medial text sentences with the correct science facts were fixated for a shorter time when first encountered in the refutation text. Refutation statements, however, increased integrative processing at the end of each text paragraph, as indexed by longer look-back fixation times on topic-final sentences with the science concepts, as well as longer look-back fixation times directed to the refutation statements. These findings support the elaboration hypothesis and are discussed in the light of current accounts of the refutation effect for theory development and educational practice. Lay Description What is already known about this topic: Science texts are often challenging to read, especially when the reader has misconceptions about the topicand must undergo conceptual-change learning in order to successfully comprehend the text., A specific type of text, the refutation text, mayact as a powerful resource in facilitating conceptual change, but findings from process-oriented investigations have been inconclusive with respect to its efficacy in this regard., What this paper adds: Refutation statements lead to faster processing of scientific facts that contradict commonly held misconceptions during the first-pass reading., Refutation statements also encourage readers' later integrative processing during rereading,to monitor and ensure resolution of the conflict between their own conceptions and the conceptual information contained within the text., Implications for practice and/or policy: Immediate introduction of new science concepts in an expository text may not benefit readers' comprehension when they have existing misconceptions within the relevant knowledge domain., The use of sentences explicitly refuting readers' misconceptions has the potential to induce and sustain the conscious and deliberate processing that is required for them to become aware of the conceptual conflict, increasing their likelihood of resolving it., Update made on 05 November 2016, after first online publication: Since the publication of this article, a Practitioner Notes section has been implemented for this journal. This article has been updated with the Practitioner Notes section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined whether type of inflectional case (semantic or grammatical) and phonological and morphological transparency affect the processing of Finnish modifier-head agreement in reading. Readers' eye movement patterns were registered. In Experiment 1, an agreeing modifier condition (agreement was transparent) was compared with a no-modifier condition, and in Experiment 2, similar constructions with opaque agreement were used. In both experiments, agreement was found to affect the processing of the target noun with some delay. In Experiment 3, unmarked and case-marked modifiers were used. The results again demonstrated a delayed agreement effect, ruling out the possibility that the agreement effects observed in Experiments 1 and 2 reflect a mere modifier-presence effect. We concluded that agreement exerts its effect at the level of syntactic integration but not at the level of lexical access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out to investigate individual differences in reading styles among competent adult readers and to examine whether readers are aware of their reading style. Individual reading strategies were studied by having the participants read a long expository text while their eye fixation patterns were registered. A cluster analysis was performed on the eye movement data to distinguish between different reading styles. The analysis revealed three types of readers that were coined, following Hyönä, Lorch, and Kaakinen (2002), fast linear readers, slow linear readers, and topic structure processors. Readers' procedural awareness of their reading behaviour was assessed by a questionnaire. The verbal reports obtained by the questionnaire were then correlated with the corresponding eye behaviour to investigate the extent to which the readers behave the way they report doing. The correlations showed that adult readers are well aware of their general reading speed and reasonably aware of their lookback and rereading behaviour. The amount of time spent looking back in text also correlated positively with the relative success in recalling the main points expressed in the text. It is concluded that systematic and extensive looking back in text is indicative of strategic behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of a temperature of 29°C on performance in tasks involving different cognitive demands and to assess the effect on perceived performance, subjective workload, thermal comfort, perceived working conditions, cognitive fatigue, and somatic symptoms in a laboratory with realistic office environment. A comparison was made with a temperature of 23°C. Performance was measured on the basis of six different tasks that reflect different stages of cognitive performance. Thirty-three students participated in the experiment. The exposure time was 3.5 h in both thermal conditions. Performance was negatively affected by slightly warm temperature in the N-back working memory task. Temperature had no effect on performance in other tasks focusing on psychomotor, working memory, attention, or long-term memory capabilities. Temperature had no effect on perceived performance. However, slightly warm temperature caused concentration difficulties. Throat symptoms were found to increase over time at 29°C, but no temporal change was seen at 23°C. No effect of temperature on other symptoms was found. As expected, the differences in thermal comfort were significant. Women perceived a temperature of 23°C colder than men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]