Effects of dynamic display, presentation method, speed, and task type on reading comprehension of wristwatch screens

We examined the effects of two dynamic displays (leading and rapid serial visual presentation), two presentation methods (character-by-character and word-by-word), and three display speeds (150, 250, and 350 characters per minute, i.e., cpm) on users’ reading comprehension under two different task types (single and dual tasks) for reading Chinese text on the screen of a wristwatch. Forty native speakers of Chinese from Taiwan were recruited. Scores for reading comprehension showed that dynamic display did not significantly affect reading comprehension. Presentation method, speed, and task type, however, were significant factors in reading comprehension. In addition, the interaction between presentation method and speed significantly affected reading comprehension. When the presentation method was in a word-by-word format, there was no significant difference in reading comprehension under different speed levels. However, when the presentation method was in a character-by-character format, reading comprehension was significantly higher for the lower speeds of 150 and 250 cpm than for 350 cpm.