Cue predictability changes scaling in eye-movement fluctuations

Abstract

Recent research has provided evidence for scaling-relations in eye-movement fluctuations, but not much is known about what these scaling relations imply about cognition or eye-movement control. Generally, scaling relations in behavioral and neurophysiological data have been interpreted as an indicator for the coordination of neurophysiological and cognitive processes. In this study, we investigated the effect of predictability in timing and gaze-direction on eye-movement fluctuations. Participants performed a simple eye-movement task, in which a visual cue prompted their gaze to different locations on a spatial layout, and the predictability about temporal and directional aspects of the cue were manipulated. The results showed that scaling exponents in eye-movements decreased with predictability and were related to the participants’ perceived effort during the task. In relation to past research, these findings suggest that scaling exponents reflect a relative demand for voluntary control during task performance.