Guiding Decision Makers' Eye Movements with (Un)Predictable Object Locations

摘要

We propose a new approach for guiding eye movements by controlling the predictability of object locations. We hypothesize that when a high (low) relevance object has a predictable location, observers are more (less) likely to fixate it compared with objects in unpredictable locations. We tested this hypothesis in three decision-making studies, manipulating the location of a product label in an unpredictable, a predictable, and a mixed visual environment. In Study 1 and Study 2, we find that participants are less likely to fixate a low and medium relevance label in a predictable location, and in Study 3, we find that participants are more likely to fixate a high relevance label in a predictable location. Our findings suggest that predictable locations increase while unpredictable locations decrease top-down control. The approach can be used to increase or decrease eye movements towards specific information depending on the goals of the choice architect. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.