Abstract
This empirical study examined whether the visual complexities of the first and second characters in two-character words play similar roles in modulating the fixation time and saccade target selection during un-spaced Chinese reading. Consistent with prior research, words with low-complexity characters were fixated for shorter times than words with high-complexity characters. Critically, saccade target selection was primarily influenced by the visual complexity of the first character of a two-character word: words with low-complexity first characters were skipped more frequently, and fixation was localized nearer to the center of the word compared with the words with high-complexity first characters. These results are important for understanding the mechanisms of eye movement control in Chinese reading and thus provide benchmark data to test models of eye movement control in Chinese reading.
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Notes
Character complexity can also be measured by the stroke frequency, which is defined by the average number of strokes crossed by the slices in six directions through the Chinese characters (see Zhang, Zhang, Xue, Liu, & Yu, 2008 for more information). The stroke frequency is highly correlated with the stroke number.
The characters with more strokes typically have more radicals, but this issue could not be teased apart in the present study. It is unclear whether radical number affects reading (see review by Su & Samuels, 2010). We primarily focused on character complexity based on stroke number, and characters with more radicals can also be regarded as high-complexity characters.
No parafoveal-on-foveal effect or spillover effect was found for character complexity. First fixation durations on the pre-targets were 265 ms (SD = 37 ms), 267 ms (SD = 39 ms), 263 ms (SD = 36 ms), and 264 ms (SD = 34 ms) under the LL, HL, LH and HH conditions, respectively, Fs <1. Gaze durations for each of the respective conditions were 308 ms (SD = 59 ms), 313 ms (SD = 59 ms), 304 ms (SD = 28 ms), and 319 ms (SD = 69 ms), ts <1.4. First fixation durations on the post-targets were 279 ms (SD = 31 ms), 276 ms (SD = 33 ms), 274 ms (SD = 33 ms), and 278 ms (SD = 33 ms) in the LL, HL, LH and HH conditions, respectively, ts <1. These results are consistent with the corpus analysis reported by Li et al. (2014).
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Acknowledgments
We thank Keith Rayner and an anonymous reviewer for their helpful comments on an earlier version of the article. This research was supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-YW-BR-6) and by a grant from the Natural Science Foundation of China (31070904).
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Appendix: Sentences used in the experiment
Appendix: Sentences used in the experiment
Item | LL | HL | LH | HH | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 白肉 | 精肉 | 白露 | 朝露 | 当地百姓正在收集白肉准备出售给新来的药剂师 |
2 | 巴县 | 新县 | 巴蜀 | 集镇 | 那些远道而来参观巴县著名景点的人在晚上离开了 |
3 | 补写 | 题写 | 补编 | 整编 | 编委会必须按照教材的要求重新补写书籍的最后一部分 |
4 | 车价 | 牌价 | 车道 | 跑道 | 记者独自承担起调查车价设置是否合理的重要任务 |
5 | 饭厅 | 歌厅 | 饭锅 | 蒸锅 | 情报人员把密函藏进饭厅里面可以做到掩人耳目 |
6 | 泛红 | 潮红 | 泛酸 | 强酸 | 实验室助手悄悄的将这些泛红液体倒进了马桶里 |
7 | 飞刀 | 藏刀 | 飞艇 | 赛艇 | 这位知名的慈善家准备将拍卖飞刀所得的善款捐给灾区 |
8 | 负极 | 磁极 | 负数 | 频数 | 小学生经过适当的训练也能理解负极的相应概念 |
9 | 古乐 | 鼓乐 | 古装 | 童装 | 反对者认为偏好古乐的人一般都表现出心智不够成熟 |
10 | 谷仓 | 粮仓 | 谷穗 | 稻穗 | 看守粮食的官兵眼望着所有谷仓被大雨席卷一空 |
11 | 欢声 | 鼓声 | 欢歌 | 楚辞 | 这些无忧无虑的孩童听到欢声就像疯了似的朝门外跑去 |
12 | 幻术 | 骗术 | 幻像 | 蜡像 | 教官详细讲解了辨别幻术要掌握的三个基本原则 |
13 | 灰布 | 墙布 | 灰墙 | 矮墙 | 这里装修完成并拆除灰布之后就能看到对面的绿色草坪 |
14 | 夹层 | 煤层 | 夹缝 | 裂缝 | 探险队这次深入险地是为了探测夹层中埋藏的稀有矿物 |
15 | 拒付 | 缴付 | 拒赔 | 蒙骗 | 申请破产的公司拒付大量赔款之后迅速离开了大陆 |
16 | 冷饭 | 熟饭 | 冷餐 | 稻穗 | 那位朴实的主妇在收拾冷饭的时候找到了顾客的皮夹子 |
17 | 民风 | 新风 | 民需 | 新歌 | 该报刊这次采访的主角正是关注民风的艺术家唐韬 |
18 | 木门 | 楼门 | 木器 | 暗器 | 当时有许多墨家高手沉迷于探索木门的设计原理 |
19 | 汤包 | 箱包 | 汤锅 | 鼓琴 | 戴墨镜的男子在购买汤包之后迅速离开了商铺 |
20 | 帐册 | 簿册 | 账簿 | 缘簿 | 精打细算的姑妈核对帐册之后确定了最终的选择 |
21 | 才华 | 精华 | 才智 | 睿智 | 此次高层论坛是各位专家展示非凡才华的绝佳时机 |
22 | 池边 | 墙边 | 池塘 | 澡塘 | 联邦调查局的人员拒绝介入调查池边发生的案件 |
23 | 吊床 | 藤床 | 吊装 | 童装 | 几位新潮的妈妈在购买吊床之后结伴回到了住处 |
24 | 豆包 | 糖包 | 豆酱 | 辣酱 | 乖巧的孩子拎着豆包从厨房美滋滋的走了出来 |
25 | 儿戏 | 影戏 | 儿歌 | 新歌 | 他认为学会如何欣赏儿戏不是一件轻而易举的事情 |
26 | 耳尖 | 嘴尖 | 耳膜 | 鼓膜 | 这些细微的动作可能会损伤耳尖并带来未知的严重后果 |
27 | 犯忌 | 避忌 | 犯禁 | 解禁 | 教练们正在讨论队员犯忌之后如何进入下一步的程序 |
28 | 分岔 | 道岔 | 分道 | 就餐 | 后勤人员正在搜索分岔的地方以确保活动顺利进行 |
29 | 工兵 | 新兵 | 工联 | 篮联 | 队长讲了这么多只是为了让大家理解工兵担负的责任 |
30 | 弓步 | 碎步 | 弓腰 | 塌腰 | 导演要求所有演员积极练习弓步动作以节省拍摄时间 |
31 | 攻歼 | 聚歼 | 攻错 | 催逼 | 如果这个时候攻歼敌军恐怕会给全军带来灭顶之灾 |
32 | 互补 | 填补 | 互惠 | 精确 | 远洋运输公司采用互补的措施来缓和当前贸易的摩擦 |
33 | 火龙 | 游龙 | 火警 | 港警 | 这些知识丰富的学者非常理解火龙所特有的生存方式 |
34 | 讥讽 | 嘲讽 | 讥嘲 | 数落 | 每一个有心理理论的人都应知道讥讽别人是不对的行为 |
35 | 坚冰 | 薄冰 | 坚壁 | 腹壁 | 他们眼睁睁的看着那块坚冰在外力撞击下顷刻瓦解 |
36 | 讲义 | 疑义 | 讲题 | 答题 | 评审专家最后总结发现很多讲义都阐述的不清不楚 |
37 | 旧历 | 藏历 | 旧貌 | 镇貌 | 人们预测多年之后这些旧历就会消失在人们的记忆里 |
38 | 考订 | 增订 | 考量 | 馈赠 | 这些中央机构感谢专家组为他们考订了一批新的时评杂志 |
39 | 狂风 | 微风 | 狂想 | 暗想 | 忽然而来的一阵狂风让这些充满报复的队员更加意气风发 |
40 | 老兵 | 精兵 | 老龄 | 超龄 | 主席团交待大家对待老兵队员要拿出足够多的诚意 |
41 | 礼让 | 避让 | 礼遇 | 摆渡 | 老禅师告诫徒弟积极礼让他人是高修为的重要表现 |
42 | 米汤 | 鲜汤 | 米粥 | 稀粥 | 老友着急的喝了半碗米汤就迅速地离开了宴会厅 |
43 | 木匠 | 鞋匠 | 木雕 | 蜜蜂 | 举报者在电话里声称有大量木匠聚集在这座院子里 |
44 | 牛刀 | 腰刀 | 牛粪 | 蜂群 | 这些昆虫发现眼前的牛刀已经威胁到自己的生存 |
45 | 牛肚 | 爆肚 | 牛筋 | 蹄筋 | 性格直爽的篮球健将坦言小炒牛肚是他最爱吃的佳肴 |
46 | 扭扯 | 攀扯 | 扭摆 | 喧腾 | 新员工因为工资的事情前来扭扯了半天也没能解决问题 |
47 | 劝导 | 督导 | 劝慰 | 解雇 | 没曾想到经理把这份负责劝导员工的工作推给了我 |
48 | 入口 | 路口 | 入境 | 隧道 | 当列车行驶过入口处就会把这些垃圾全部丢掉 |
49 | 沙坝 | 筑坝 | 沙窝 | 黑窝 | 必须一鼓作气将所有沙坝摧毁并妥善安排善后工作 |
50 | 石材 | 管材 | 石像 | 鼓楼 | 公司保安的工作还包括保护石材不受自然界的侵蚀 |
51 | 帅才 | 蠢才 | 帅旗 | 锦旗 | 球队队员都知道这些帅才都是教练亲自挑选的 |
52 | 丝巾 | 餐巾 | 丝棉 | 植棉 | 半个小时过后那位收购丝巾的老汉已经消失在夕阳下 |
53 | 私财 | 横财 | 私藏 | 量器 | 发福的官员声称自己有很多私财是不能被外人知道的 |
54 | 私访 | 察访 | 私藏 | 窝藏 | 任何部门以外的人只要私访要犯就会受到来自刑部的重罚 |
55 | 台灯 | 路灯 | 台盟 | 楼道 | 激进的学生声称台灯对他们来说没有任何用途 |
56 | 汤池 | 粪池 | 汤罐 | 糖罐 | 车辆还没有到达现场就已经闻到汤池中飘来阵阵恶臭 |
57 | 秃驴 | 蠢驴 | 秃鹰 | 鹞鹰 | 那次登山活动中被称为秃驴的家伙让人印象特别深刻 |
58 | 土牢 | 黑牢 | 土蜂 | 雄蜂 | 这些工匠之所以如此害怕是因为都曾受过土牢的残酷折磨 |
59 | 瓦块 | 糖块 | 瓦罐 | 糖罐 | 铁匠听到这个消息愤怒的将这些瓦块摔的破碎不堪 |
60 | 王孙 | 曾孙 | 王储 | 影楼 | 管家嘱咐这几个跟班的要仔细看好王孙的贵重物品 |
61 | 尾巴 | 嘴巴 | 尾翼 | 鼻翼 | 雕塑馆的艺术家惊叹燕子尾巴被雕刻的如此逼真 |
62 | 尾灯 | 警灯 | 尾翼 | 鼻翼 | 谨慎的乘客发现尾灯两侧存在问题并及时告知了乘务员 |
63 | 纤夫 | 樵夫 | 纤瘦 | 黑熊 | 当地人们普遍认为纤夫的身材是健康的重要指示符 |
64 | 闲扯 | 瞎扯 | 闲游 | 漂游 | 许久不见的老哥们在外面闲扯了半天才回到住所 |
65 | 邪火 | 煤火 | 邪魔 | 睡魔 | 经验丰富的巫师居然担心邪火侵害自己的健康 |
66 | 刑场 | 操场 | 刑期 | 赛期 | 新上任的队长已经准备着手调查刑场内发生的案件 |
67 | 玄鸟 | 蜂鸟 | 玄奥 | 鼹鼠 | 他们这次野外旅行的目的是观察玄鸟的生活习性 |
68 | 血红 | 鲜红 | 血糖 | 蜜糖 | 视力的过早衰退导致他已经无法辨别血红的颜色 |
69 | 严守 | 镇守 | 严整 | 镇慑 | 将军来这里严守城池使得这里的百姓能够安居乐业 |
70 | 手记 | 题记 | 手稿 | 新楼 | 愚钝的主编在搜索手记上花费了太多不必要的时间 |
71 | 厌弃 | 嫌弃 | 厌腻 | 凝想 | 当聪明的学生厌弃这一行为时就会产生负面效应 |
72 | 羊肠 | 腊肠 | 羊膜 | 黏糕 | 培训师正训练大家如何挑选羊肠并将其晒干磨成中药粉 |
73 | 异邦 | 盟邦 | 异趣 | 童趣 | 许多家长都深信异邦训练能够提高孩子的个人能力 |
74 | 邮车 | 餐车 | 邮路 | 管路 | 这些只注重结果的领导从不关心是否邮车出了问题 |
75 | 幼犬 | 鹰犬 | 幼雏 | 雏鹰 | 训练师把食物放在手心里等待幼犬缓缓的靠近 |
76 | 幼芽 | 嫩芽 | 幼嫩 | 滑嫩 | 该公司已经熟练掌握提取幼芽的表面物质来制作化妆品 |
77 | 玉女 | 舞女 | 玉器 | 富豪 | 最后筛选阶段曾经让人热捧的顶级玉女最终却惨遭淘汰 |
78 | 云团 | 疑团 | 云影 | 暗影 | 越野高手坦言说目前云团重重不适合继续前行 |
79 | 召回 | 撤回 | 召集 | 邀集 | 曾经一败涂地的将军决定召回自己的旧部一起谋事 |
80 | 纸币 | 硬币 | 纸牌 | 雕像 | 在真正的行家眼里很多纸币都是具有收藏价值的 |
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Ma, G., Li, X. How character complexity modulates eye movement control in Chinese reading. Read Writ 28, 747–761 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-015-9548-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-015-9548-1