Age-related Eye Tracking Study of Reading COVID-19 Texts with Negative Elements

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic leads to the development of stress disorders, increased anxiety in the society. One of the strongest factors leading to the development of anxiety, stress in society during a pandemic is the Mass Media. The mechanisms of stressogenic effects of Mass Media remain not completely clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate age-specific characteristics of gaze behavior related to the perception of anxiety-provoking information. The study was performed basing on the 189 volunteers (164 participants aged between 17 and 22 years old (students, control group), 25 people aged between 59 and 71 aged 59 to 71 (experimental group). We surveyed participants to determine their level of stress, depression, and anxiety and analyzed eye-tracking data during the text perception by using web-tracking (EyePass). Results showed the significant age-related differences in gaze behavior while reading text with negative text elements. Aged adults had shorter median fixation duration. There was no difference between groups in the amount of the fixation. We can assume that except age factor other ones might contribute to our result, namely the occupation of participants, professors at the Institute of Journalism, with developed professional skills (reading pattern, method of information perception) but from other side higher vulnerability to adverse COVID-19 outcomes compared to younger adults.