Reading proficiency modulates parafoveal processing efficiency: Evidence from reading Chinese as a second language

• This study investigates parafoveal processing in reading Chinese for Korean readers.
• Identical and orthographic preview effects were obtained.
• Reading proficiency modulates identical and orthographic preview benefits.
• Less attentional resource causes reduced perceptual span.

In the present study, we manipulated different types of information available in the parafovea during the reading of Chinese sentences and examined how native Korean readers who learned Chinese as a second language make use of the parafoveal information. Results clearly indicate that, only identical and orthographically similar previews facilitated processing of the target words when they were subsequently fixated. More critically, more parafoveal information was obtained by subjects with higher reading proficiency. These results suggest that, mainly low-level features of the parafoveal words are obtained by the non-native Chinese readers and less attentional resources are available for the readers with lower reading proficiency, thereby causing a reduction of the perceptual span.