Eye movement strategies and executive functions in preschoolers: an eye-tracking study of toy preference

Context and relevance. Development of optimal eye movement strategies at preschool age is essential for future academic and social performance. Objective. To clarify the relationships between the perceptual actions and executive functions in preschoolers of different ages. Hypothesis. The level of executive functions makes a significant contribution to the peculiarities of eye movement strategies in preschoolers of different ages. Methods and materials. The study involved 34 preschoolers 4-5 years old (average age — 4.3 years) and 28 preschoolers 6-7 years old (average age — 6.3 years). Participants’ executive functions were assessed with the NEPSY-II subtests, as well as the tests "The Dimensional Change Card Sort" and "Walk a Line Slowly". Next, 3 toy preference trials were conducted with each participant. The toys were presented on the laptop screen. Within each trial, the oculomotor activity of children was recorded using a stationary GP3 eye tracker. Results. The results have showed that senior preschoolers are characterized by a more abbreviated and minimized information processing strategy with concentrated, relevant fixations on target areas than 4-5 years old preschoolers. It was revealed that these features of visual information processing are associated with the auditory working memory, cognitive flexibility and cognitive inhibitory control. At the same time, high level of cognitive flexibility is a predictor of more optimal strategies, regardless of age. Conclusions. The results point to the developing potential of executive functions, in particular cognitive flexibility, in correcting visual information processing strategies in preschoolers. The research opens up prospects for creating psychological and pedagogical programs, exercises for the visual perception development.

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