Reviews studies of eye movements in reading and other information processing skills such as picture viewing, visual search, and problem solving. (BD)

IN GENERAL, PROBLEM SOLUTIONS CAN BE FOUND ALONG A CONTINUUM OF ABSTRACTION FROM THE SPECIFIC TO THE GENERAL. THERE IS, AT ANY GIVEN POINT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOLUTION, A MOST EFFICIENT OR OPTIMUM STRATEGY. IN INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION IS USUALLY OBTAINED, AT A MORE SPECIFIC RATHER THAN AT A MORE ABSTRACT LEVEL. THE…

Online searching is a complex problem solving task requiring the searcher to combine multiple sets into Boolean expressions. Since spatial ability has been correlated with problem solving tasks which involve abstract conceptual associations, this report argues that it is a significant factor in the information user's ability to both comprehend and…