Parallel and dynamic attention allocation during natural reading

Abstract

During natural reading, attention constantly shifts across words, yet how linguistic properties (e.g., lexical frequency) impact the allocation of attention remains unclear. In this study, we co-registered MEG data and eye movements while participants read one-line sentences containing target words of either low or high lexical frequency. Using rapid invisible frequency tagging (RIFT), we simultaneously tracked attention to target and post-target words by flickering them at different frequencies. First, we provide neural evidence that attention was allocated simultaneously to both foveal target and parafoveal post-target words. Second, we found an early parafoveal lexical effect, whereby lower frequency targets demanded more attention prior to fixation, and, additionally, a foveal load effect whereby lower frequency targets reduced the amount of attention allocated to post-targets. Furthermore, flexibility in attention shifts between foveal and parafoveal processing correlated with individual reading speed. These results suggest attention is distributed across multiple words and is flexibly adjusted during reading.