CLN Wiki · Neuroscience
Saccade
During a saccade, you are functionally blind. Comprehension only happens during the fixation.
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Definition
Term
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Saccade — rapid ballistic eye movement between fixation
points
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duration: 20–200ms · distance: 1–20° visual angle
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primary mechanism of visual information intake during reading
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Reading Mechanics
Process
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eyes don't glide — they JUMP between fixation points
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fixation: 200–300ms pause where info is processed
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saccade: ballistic jump (vision suppressed during jump)
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regression: backward saccade when comprehension fails (~15%)
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the brain "fills in the gaps" of darkness between jumps
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Guidance Factors
Control
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low-level: word length, spacing, font contrast
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high-level: meaning, prediction, task relevance
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visual landmarks (operators, indents) → anchor points
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predictable layout → fewer regressions → faster processing
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Prose vs CLN Behavior
Analysis
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PROSE: long horizontal saccades, high regression rate
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no landing targets → overshooting common
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meaning distributed across line → long fixations
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CLN: short vertical saccades down operator column
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operator = reliable fixation target every line
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meaning concentrated at start → fast "skip or read" decision
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Efficiency
Results
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suboptimal patterns → fatigue, comprehension drop
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structured layout reduces cognitive load via saccade efficiency