Effects of illumination and meter on spontaneous eyeblinks

Abstract

The hypothesis that blinking acts as a mask on visual information processing was tested. Twenty-four undergraduates listened to verbal presentations of poetry and random digits under illuminated or darkness conditions. Results indicated that the subjects’ blink rates were significantly depressed during presentation of material relative to dead space paused. Results were contrary to the masking hypothesis. © 1977, The psychonomic soceity, inc. All rights reserved.