Eye Movements as Measures of Memory in Communication Research (Top 5 Paper)

• In Event: Innovations in Communication Science and Biology: Methodological and Theoretical Advancements (High-Density)

Abstract

The question of how much of what kinds of information people remember from the media environment is an enduring question in communication research. For a long period of time, communication scholars have employed self-report measures of memory to answer this question. However, self-report measures may not necessarily provide an accurate index of what people remember. In the research reported here, we use a novel eye movement measure of memory for political information. We report here that eye movements can accurately detect memory for political information even when self-report responses fail to do so. Our results suggest that self-report measures may underestimate the amount of political information citizens learn from the media environment and highlight the utility of eye movement measures in accurately assessing what people remember.

Authors

• Jason C. Coronel, The Ohio State U

• Matthew Sweitzer, Ohio State U