How Eye Movements and Brain Activity Shape Reading Comprehension

Readers process words they skip through peripheral vision and detailed linguistic processing rather than simple guessing, according to a University of South Florida study published in Psychophysiology. The research used simultaneous EEG and eye-tracking to show the brain registers skipped words before the eyes move past them.

Reading isn’t a simple linear process of scanning words and converting them to meaning. Readers regularly skip words, often without realizing it, but the brain continues to process that information using peripheral vision.

Elizabeth Schotter, associate professor and director of the USF Eye Movements and Cognition Lab, led the study with first author and postdoctoral research scholar Sara Milligan. Their findings indicate that the brain uses a fast, predictive system to prioritize efficiency, making decisions to skip words before full recognition and integration are complete.

How does the brain read words the eyes skip?

The brain partially registers skipped words in advance, allowing it to detect whether a word is expected or irregular. This processing happens through a teamwork between the eyes and the brain that manages movements occurring roughly every 250 milliseconds.

Our findings suggest that readers aren’t simply guessing words; they rely on detailed visual and linguistic processing.

Sara Milligan

This mechanism differs from contextual guessing strategies. Instead of ignoring the skipped text, the brain performs deep enough processing to maintain comprehension while increasing reading speed.

How was the reading study conducted?

Researchers tracked 55 participants during reading sessions that lasted approximately two hours each. Participants read 180 sentences presented on a screen, pressing a button to advance after each one.

The team used two primary tools to synchronize data:

• An electroencephalogram (EEG) cap to measure real-time brain waves.
• A camera-based eye-tracking system to monitor gaze movements.

To test brain responses, researchers manipulated the text so upcoming words were either expected, slightly altered, or unexpected. This allowed the team to compare how the brain reacted when a word was skipped versus when it was directly read.

This study is unique because it allows participants to read naturally while simultaneously measuring eye movements and brain activity. Many previous studies limited eye movements or relied on only one method.

Elizabeth Schotter

Why does this matter for reading instruction?

The results suggest that traditional teaching methods relying on contextual guessing may be less effective than focusing on the mechanics of reading. Milligan stated the findings support the importance of teaching spelling and letter-sound relationships.

Understanding these neural mechanisms helps distinguish what separates skilled readers from less skilled readers. By identifying how the brain handles skipped words, educators can develop more targeted interventions for those with reading challenges.

What happens next in reading research?

The USF lab plans to investigate how reading strategies shift based on a reader’s goal, such as the difference between reading for deep comprehension and skimming for specific information.

Researchers also intend to study individual differences in reading efficiency and how brain processing changes across a person’s lifespan. The team’s development of new software to combine EEG and eye-tracking now allows other researchers to study reading in more realistic settings.