Instant messaging multitasking while reading: a pilot eye-tracking study

Abstract

This pilot study analyzes the reading patterns of 15 German students while receiving instant messages through a smartphone, imitating an online conversation. With this pilot study, we aim to test the eye-tracking setup and methodology employed, in which we analyze specifically the moment in which participants return to the reading after answering the instant messages. We explore the relationships with reading comprehension performance and differences across readers, considering individual differences regarding reading habits and multitasking behavior.