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The fundamentals of eye tracking part 6 : Working with areas of interest

Hooge, Ignace T C LU ; Nyström, Marcus LU orcid ; Niehorster, Diederick C LU orcid ; Andersson, Richard LU ; Foulsham, Tom ; Nuthmann, Antje and Hessels, Roy S (2026) In Behavior Research Methods 58.
Abstract

Researchers use area of interest (AOI) analyses to interpret eye-tracking data. This article addresses four key aspects of AOI use: 1) how to report AOIs to support replicable analyses, 2) how to interpret AOI-related statistics, 3) methods for generating both static and dynamic AOIs, and 4) recent developments and future directions in AOI use. The article underscores the importance of aligning AOI design with the study's conceptual and methodological foundations. It argues that critical decisions, such as the size, shape, and placement of AOIs, should be made early in the experimental design process and should involve eye-tracking data quality, the research question, participant tasks, and the nature of the visual stimulus. It also... (More)

Researchers use area of interest (AOI) analyses to interpret eye-tracking data. This article addresses four key aspects of AOI use: 1) how to report AOIs to support replicable analyses, 2) how to interpret AOI-related statistics, 3) methods for generating both static and dynamic AOIs, and 4) recent developments and future directions in AOI use. The article underscores the importance of aligning AOI design with the study's conceptual and methodological foundations. It argues that critical decisions, such as the size, shape, and placement of AOIs, should be made early in the experimental design process and should involve eye-tracking data quality, the research question, participant tasks, and the nature of the visual stimulus. It also evaluates recent advances in AOI automation, outlining both their benefits and limitations. The article's main message is that researchers should plan AOIs carefully and explain their choices openly so others can replicate the work.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Humans, Eye-Tracking Technology, Eye Movements/physiology, Research Design
in
Behavior Research Methods
volume
58
article number
65
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:41703154
ISSN
1554-3528
DOI
10.3758/s13428-025-02937-3
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© 2026. The Author(s).
id
3e04248e-30c5-42d1-9632-ca27aead3ac5
date added to LUP
2026-02-22 21:48:17
date last changed
2026-02-25 11:12:41
@article{3e04248e-30c5-42d1-9632-ca27aead3ac5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Researchers use area of interest (AOI) analyses to interpret eye-tracking data. This article addresses four key aspects of AOI use: 1) how to report AOIs to support replicable analyses, 2) how to interpret AOI-related statistics, 3) methods for generating both static and dynamic AOIs, and 4) recent developments and future directions in AOI use. The article underscores the importance of aligning AOI design with the study's conceptual and methodological foundations. It argues that critical decisions, such as the size, shape, and placement of AOIs, should be made early in the experimental design process and should involve eye-tracking data quality, the research question, participant tasks, and the nature of the visual stimulus. It also evaluates recent advances in AOI automation, outlining both their benefits and limitations. The article's main message is that researchers should plan AOIs carefully and explain their choices openly so others can replicate the work.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hooge, Ignace T C and Nyström, Marcus and Niehorster, Diederick C and Andersson, Richard and Foulsham, Tom and Nuthmann, Antje and Hessels, Roy S}},
  issn         = {{1554-3528}},
  keywords     = {{Humans; Eye-Tracking Technology; Eye Movements/physiology; Research Design}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Behavior Research Methods}},
  title        = {{The fundamentals of eye tracking part 6 : Working with areas of interest}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13428-025-02937-3}},
  doi          = {{10.3758/s13428-025-02937-3}},
  volume       = {{58}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}