Eye Tracking in the Wild: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Modelling human cognition and behaviour in rich naturalistic settings and under conditions of free movement of the head and body is a major goal of visual science. Eye tracking has turned out to be an excellent physiological means to investigate how we visually interact with complex 3D environments,...

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Main Author: Otto Lappi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2015-10-01
Series:Journal of Eye Movement Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://bop.unibe.ch/JEMR/article/view/2410
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author Otto Lappi
author_facet Otto Lappi
author_sort Otto Lappi
collection DOAJ
description Modelling human cognition and behaviour in rich naturalistic settings and under conditions of free movement of the head and body is a major goal of visual science. Eye tracking has turned out to be an excellent physiological means to investigate how we visually interact with complex 3D environments, real and virtual. This review begins with a philosophical look at the advantages (the Good) and the disadvantages (the Bad) in approaches with different levels of ecological naturalness (traditional tightly controlled laboratory tasks, low- and high-fidelity simulators, fully naturalistic real-world studies). We then discuss in more technical terms the differences in approach required “in the wild”, compared to “received” lab-based methods. We highlight how the unreflecting application of lab-based analysis methods, terminology, and tacit assumptions can lead to poor experimental design or even spurious results (the Ugly). The aim is not to present a “cookbook” of best practices, but to raise awareness of some of the special concerns that naturalistic research brings about. References to helpful literature are provided along the way. The aim is to provide an overview of the landscape from the point of view of a researcher planning serious basic research on the human mind and behaviour
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spelling doaj-art-e76a834b3d284eafbe601a2070e0d5f92025-08-20T03:24:43ZengMDPI AGJournal of Eye Movement Research1995-86922015-10-018510.16910/jemr.8.5.1Eye Tracking in the Wild: the Good, the Bad and the UglyOtto Lappi0University of HelsinkiModelling human cognition and behaviour in rich naturalistic settings and under conditions of free movement of the head and body is a major goal of visual science. Eye tracking has turned out to be an excellent physiological means to investigate how we visually interact with complex 3D environments, real and virtual. This review begins with a philosophical look at the advantages (the Good) and the disadvantages (the Bad) in approaches with different levels of ecological naturalness (traditional tightly controlled laboratory tasks, low- and high-fidelity simulators, fully naturalistic real-world studies). We then discuss in more technical terms the differences in approach required “in the wild”, compared to “received” lab-based methods. We highlight how the unreflecting application of lab-based analysis methods, terminology, and tacit assumptions can lead to poor experimental design or even spurious results (the Ugly). The aim is not to present a “cookbook” of best practices, but to raise awareness of some of the special concerns that naturalistic research brings about. References to helpful literature are provided along the way. The aim is to provide an overview of the landscape from the point of view of a researcher planning serious basic research on the human mind and behaviourhttps://bop.unibe.ch/JEMR/article/view/2410eye tracking methodsnaturalistic studiessimulatorsoculomotor eventsgaze behaviourAOI methods
spellingShingle Otto Lappi
Eye Tracking in the Wild: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Journal of Eye Movement Research
eye tracking methods
naturalistic studies
simulators
oculomotor events
gaze behaviour
AOI methods
title Eye Tracking in the Wild: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
title_full Eye Tracking in the Wild: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
title_fullStr Eye Tracking in the Wild: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
title_full_unstemmed Eye Tracking in the Wild: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
title_short Eye Tracking in the Wild: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
title_sort eye tracking in the wild the good the bad and the ugly
topic eye tracking methods
naturalistic studies
simulators
oculomotor events
gaze behaviour
AOI methods
url https://bop.unibe.ch/JEMR/article/view/2410
work_keys_str_mv AT ottolappi eyetrackinginthewildthegoodthebadandtheugly