This study addresses a limitation of the assumption in Kansei Engineering (KE) that morphological features contribute equally to affective evaluation by developing a KE framework based on the Feature Integration Theory (FIT). Specifically, eye-tracking data based on Areas of Interest (AOI) are used to calculate the coefficient of variation (CV) of fixation duration between stimuli, which is then applied to rescale morphological features before modeling. In practice, ten Ming-style chairs were encoded with 30 morphological features, and Kansei ratings were collected from 389 participants, along with eye-tracking data from 30 participants. Accordingly, six Partial Least Squares (PLS) models constructed based on the rescaled features demonstrated robust performance (Q2 = 0.544–0.885), supported by LOOCV, bootstrap, and permutation tests, with external validation further confirming their generalizability. Notably, the results revealed a dissociation between fixation distribution and dispersion-based scaling, indicating that stable gaze concentration does not translate into higher predictive contributions in Kansei responses. This framework provides a repeatable method for incorporating visual attention variability into feature-based KE for product evaluation.
PURPOSE
This study investigated similarities in gaze behaviour across observers and examined whether salient visual features guided visual attention during free viewing, to clarify bottom-up and top-down influences on visual attention in complex, natural scenes.
METHODS
Forty-five healthy adults (Median age (IQR):38(24)y) viewed ten static real-world scenes (with/without social elements) for 15seconds each while their gaze was simultaneously recorded using a remote eye-tracking system. Fixation heatmaps were generated, and gaze parameters were computed. Using a bootstrapping approach, random subsets of gaze data were compared to assess gaze similarity. Heatmap similarities were analysed during the first 7.5s (tearly), last 7.5s (tlate), and total 15s viewing period using Jensen-Shannon Divergence (JSD), where JSD=0 indicated identical maps, and JSD=1 indicated no similarity. A saliency map of each scene was obtained using Itti & Koch's computational model, and the proportion of fixations overlapping salient regions was calculated to quantify saliency's influence during free viewing.
RESULTS
Across the total viewing period, 52-84% of fixations overlapped with model-predicted salient regions, with higher proportions observed in less crowded scenes and lower proportions in scenes containing socially meaningful elements. Temporal comparison showed a higher proportion of saliency-directed fixations during the tearly phase [median (IQR): 72% (23%)], accompanied by greater inter-group gaze similarity [median (IQR) JSD: 0.15 (0.02)], indicating more shared, saliency-driven viewing during the first 7.5s.
CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that free viewing is initially consistent and saliency-driven but becomes progressively individualised over time as top-down influences increase, with this temporal shift modulated by scene characteristics. Free-viewing can hold clinical value in assessing the dynamic interaction between bottom-up saliency and top-down cognitive context in individuals with visual or cognitive impairments.
Sangeetha Nagarajan, N. S. K. Meethal, R. George et al.· Behavioural Brain Research· 0 citations
To overcome the limitations of conventional design assessment in capturing instant cognition and visual dynamics, this paper proposes a multimodal evaluation method for visual design effectiveness based on eye-tracking technology. By integrating dynamic region-of-interest sequence analysis with retrospective cognitive attribution, the method captures both the spatial flow and temporal dynamics of visual attention. A contextual task is designed to simulate realistic viewing behavior while maintaining experimental control, guiding participants through goal-oriented browsing under standardized presentation conditions. Dynamic region-of-interest sequence analysis is then used to measure gaze retracing rate and evaluate the clarity of information hierarchy. Retrospective interviews and visual entropy analysis are combined to link objective eye-movement trajectories with subjective semantic interpretation. Experimental results show that the method effectively differentiates design effectiveness under different contrast ratios. The high-contrast group has the shortest initial fixation time (180 ± 38 ms) and the lowest gaze retracing rate (26.1 ± 5.9%). Gaze retracing rate is negatively correlated with semantic comprehension accuracy (r = -0.81), supporting continuous evaluation from perception to cognition.
Xinzhen Zhuo, Zhixiong Hu, Yang Lin· Advanced Electromagnetics· 0 citations
To examine whether gaze behavior on the rating scale can complement conventional self-report, twenty-four volunteers evaluated three red bean and coix seed water beverages on sensory attributes, EsSense-based emotional terms, and preference, while their fixations on the response scale were recorded using a synchronous area-of-interest design. Two indices were extracted: the questionnaire rating (QR), reflecting the consciously selected score, and the eye tracking-derived rating (ETR), defined as the longest-fixated score option. QR and ETR were strongly correlated (ICC: 0.88–0.89) and produced an identical preference ranking (R1 > R2 > R3), yet the wide limits of agreement indicated that they are not interchangeable at the individual level. Across the sensory–preference, sensory–emotion, and emotion–preference layers, QR consistently yielded stronger correlations than ETR. Warmth and sweetness were positively associated with positive emotions and liking, and “Good-natured” was the most stable emotional correlate of liking. Gaze behavior thus provides a process-oriented complement to, rather than a replacement for, self-report.
Introduction Mascot design plays an important role in brand communication, yet empirical evidence on how specific visual features shape attention and preference remains limited. This study examined how mascot type, head-to-body ratio, and eye size are associated with fixation-based visual attention and self-reported preference among young adults. Methods The study followed a three-stage design. First, Experiments 1–3 used eye-tracking to examine visual-attention patterns related to mascot type, head-to-body ratio, and eye size. Second, a questionnaire-based preference rating study examined whether these attention patterns converged with self-reported liking. Third, Experiment 4 adopted a full-factorial stimulus structure, and fsQCA was used to identify configurational pathways associated with high total fixation duration. Results Animal mascots, the 1:2 head-to-body ratio, and large-eye conditions showed the strongest descriptive attention and preference patterns within their respective design variables. The fsQCA results identified multiple sufficient configurations associated with high total fixation duration. A compact head-to-body ratio condition, operationalized as 1:1.5 or 1:2, appeared as a shared core condition across the sufficient pathways, although it did not meet the threshold for a necessary condition. Discussion These findings support a configurational understanding of mascot design, suggesting that visual attention and preference are shaped by both individual design features and their combinations.
Chen Chen, Yuxi Lin· Frontiers in Psychology· 0 citations
While 360° videos have shown promise for enhancing perceptual-cognitive skills in sport, the mechanisms underlying its advantages over traditional video-based training remain unclear. This study tested whether 360° videos promote different visual search strategies compared to traditional fixed screens (FS), and whether these strategies vary based on expertise level. Thirty-six participants (17 highly-trained basketball players, 19 novices) viewed the same 25 basketball video clips in 360° and FS modes while their eye and head movements were recorded by an eye tracker embedded in a head-mounted display. Gaze events were categorized (fixation, saccade, smooth pursuit, visual scanning) and compared using two-way ANOVAs with viewing modality and expertise as factors. Compared to FS, 360° videos elicited more smooth pursuit and visual scanning behaviors (p < 0.001), alongside fewer and shorter visual fixations and saccades (p < 0.001). No main effect of expertise was observed, except novices exhibited larger saccade amplitudes than highly-trained players in the 360° videos modality (p < 0.008). These results indicate that the FS modality promoted fixation-dominant behavior likely driven by the constrained visual environment, whereas the 360° modality afforded a more fluid search strategy, potentially reflecting real-world visual behavior and supporting its higher ecological validity for perceptual-cognitive training.
Maxime Trempe, E. Charbonneau, Virginie Lévesque et al.· Jurnal sport science· 0 citations
It is concluded that combining eye tracking and Thinking Aloud is feasible without compromising data quality and meaningful for comprehensive HCI evaluation.
Tina Frenzel, Inka Schmitz, Lisa Kerwien et al.· Proceedings of Mensch und Co...· 0 citations