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ABSTRACT

One of the most important tasks on the Web is foraging information. In this study, we present a computational model that simulates human movements of a web user during an information seeking task. Eye movements are guided by the need for information, by the visual characteristics of the stimuli and by what has already been processed and stored. Our model takes into account both semantic (top-down) and visual (bottom-up) information and includes a memory model to predict direction of attention. This model operates at the text block level, and at the word level. To validate this model, we asked participants to search information in a pseudo online newspaper, and we compared their scanpaths with those of the model. We observed a good correspondence between simulation and empirical observation.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)

General Terms:
Experimentation, Human Factors

Keywords:
cognitive model, eye movements, information search, memory, semantics, visual, web pages