Effect of memory load on eye movement control: A study using the reading span test

Abstract

We investigated the effect of memory load on attentional control using the Reading Span Test (RST), a task that requires working memory capacity. Previous studies have shown that a shortage of working memory resources leads to a deficit of inhibition of task-irrelevant information and that memory load affects eye movement control. Here, we rec-orded eye movement and integrated it with RST performance. Total fixation time and the number of regressions showed a memory load effect with the to-be-remembered word, and RST performance was also affected under high memory load. We concluded that a short-age of working memory resources caused by memory load prevents flexible eye move-ment control and may cause a deficit in inhibitory control based on intrusion errors.