Do Heavy and Light Users Differ in the Web-Page Viewing Patterns? Analysis of Their Eye-Tracking Records by Heat Maps and Networks of Transitions

Abstract

Web page viewing patterns were compared between heavy and light users with special foci on the cumulative importance (by the number of fixations and loops) and relative importance (by the network properties). To this end, the eye-tracking records obtained from 20 Ss who viewed 10 top web pages were coded into 5×5 segments imposed on the display. Networks were constructed from transitions of fixations among the segments. The relative importance was investigated on the individual nodes (core-peripheral) and the groups of nodes (by clique-based communities and the core neighborhoods). Joint analysis was conducted following the separate inspections on the cumulative and relative importance. Both similarities and dissimilarities between the user groups were reported with consideration to the nature of measurement.