Eye Movements and Autonomic Regulation of Cognitive Activity during Reading in Adolescence. Part I. Functional “Cost” of Cognitive Activity when Reading Text from the Screen in Adolescence

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Abstract

Reading from the screen of an electronic device (ED) is a significant cognitive activity for adolescences, and its complexity affects visceral functions. We conducted an analysis of the heart rate variability (HRV) and eye movements (EM) in adolescents while they were reading complex text on an ED screen. The aim was to assess the functional state characteristics under these conditions and reveal the intensity (“cost”) associated with this activity The study involved 22 adolescences with an average age of 15 years (М = 15.46, SD = 0.44). Reading text from an ED screen in adolescents was associated with a high functional “cost,” characterized by a decrease in overall HRV, an increase in the tension index and heart rate. These changes indicate the functional tension of regulatory systems during cognitive activity. The study revealed varying levels of parafoveal processing involvement. For the majority of adolescents (86.4%), word-by-word reading and a low percentage of regressions (12.0%) were observed, suggesting developed average reading skill. However, a qualitative analysis of individual EM tracks indicated varying level of reading skill development among adolescents, possibly due to a limited vocabulary and a lack of understanding of syntax. Additionally, 40.9% of adolescents demonstrated poor text comprehension. Our results showed that reading remains a complex cognitive task for adolescents, despite the expectation that their reading skills should be well-developed and automated by this age. Individual analysis of HRV and EM in adolescents with varying levels of text comprehension during reading demonstrated different strategies of adaptive behavior and autonomic reactions when performing a complex cognitive task. The functional “cost” of information processing when reading text from the ED screen results from a combination of age-related and individual adaptation characteristics, language competence and the psycholinguistic complexity of the text.

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About the authors

Yu. N. Komkova

Institute of Child Developmental

Author for correspondence.
Email: julie.komkova@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow

M. M. Bezrukikh

Moscow State Pedagogical University

Email: julie.komkova@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow

K. U. Babanova

Institute of Child Developmental; Moscow State University

Email: julie.komkova@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow; Moscow

T. S. Ryabkova

Institute of Child Developmental; Moscow State University

Email: julie.komkova@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow; Moscow

A. G. Ustsova

Institute of Child Developmental

Email: julie.komkova@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Design of the experimental study. Reading the test from the screen of an electronic device (EC) in adolescents aged 15 years.

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3. Fig. 2. A fragment of the markup of the parameters of eye movements when reading text (an example of a reconstructed track of ocular activity).

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4. Fig. 3. Changes in the spectral parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) during an experimental study in adolescents aged 15 years. On the abscissa axis — indicators, on the ordinate axis — values. The columns represent the study period: dark gray — rest, light gray - reading the text, black - answers to questions, white — recovery (rest 2). The upper and lower borders of each rectangle are the first and third quartiles (25th and 75th percentiles, respectively), the horizontal line inside is the median (50th percentile), the ends of the segments are the 10th and 90th percentiles, the points are individual values in the sample. * – p < 0.05, ** – p < 0.01, *** – p < 0.001. p-values are significant with FDR = 0.1 correction for multiple comparisons.

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5. Fig. 4. Changes in temporal (A, B) indicators of heart rate variability (HRV) during an experimental study in adolescents aged 15 years. See Figure 3 for the designations.

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6. Fig. 5. Fragments of the restored track in 15-year-olds with varying degrees of understanding of the text. A — low understanding (30.0%), B — high understanding (90.0%).

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