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Attention Allocation During Viewing of One‐Line and Two‐Line Subtitles in Vertical Videos: An Eye‐Tracking Study.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Attention Allocation During Viewing of One‐Line and Two‐Line Subtitles in Vertical Videos: An Eye‐Tracking Study.
Authors: Li, Guoliang (AUTHOR)
Source: Applied Cognitive Psychology. Jul2026, Vol. 40 Issue 4, p1-13. 13p.
Subjects: Motion picture subtitles, Eye tracking, TikTok (Web resource), Cell phone videos, Attention control
Abstract: Vertical videos (e.g., TikTok) are widely consumed on mobile phones and increasingly rely on subtitles to enhance engagement. However, the narrow aspect ratio, small screen, and fast pace of vertical videos challenge subtitle layout, particularly the number of lines. Using webcam eye tracking, this study compared visual attention allocation to one‐line versus two‐line subtitles in vertical videos. A total of 211 participants watched a TikTok video with either one‐line or two‐line subtitles while their eye movements were recorded. Two‐line subtitles attracted greater visual attention than one‐line subtitles, with longer total fixation time, more revisits, lower skipping probability, and longer time to first fixation. After statistically controlling for character count, two‐line subtitles still elicited longer total fixation time, suggesting that the format difference cannot be fully attributed to text length alone. These findings extend subtitle reception research to vertical videos and inform subtitle design on short‐form video platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Description
Abstract:Vertical videos (e.g., TikTok) are widely consumed on mobile phones and increasingly rely on subtitles to enhance engagement. However, the narrow aspect ratio, small screen, and fast pace of vertical videos challenge subtitle layout, particularly the number of lines. Using webcam eye tracking, this study compared visual attention allocation to one‐line versus two‐line subtitles in vertical videos. A total of 211 participants watched a TikTok video with either one‐line or two‐line subtitles while their eye movements were recorded. Two‐line subtitles attracted greater visual attention than one‐line subtitles, with longer total fixation time, more revisits, lower skipping probability, and longer time to first fixation. After statistically controlling for character count, two‐line subtitles still elicited longer total fixation time, suggesting that the format difference cannot be fully attributed to text length alone. These findings extend subtitle reception research to vertical videos and inform subtitle design on short‐form video platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:08884080
DOI:10.1002/acp.70262