Cognitive flexibility and cognitive demands: An eye tracking investigation

Cognitive flexibility is crucial for adapting behavior to shifting demands, particularly in tasks with varying cognitive requirements. This study examines the relationship between cognitive flexibility levels and eye movement parameters across six difficulty levels. Results show that highly flexible individuals consistently outperform those with lower flexibility, demonstrating more fixations, shorter fixation durations, and reduced blinking. Notable differences in eye movement patterns become apparent at the highest difficulty levels (5-6), emphasizing the importance of switching abilities in complex cognitive tasks. These findings offer new perspectives on psychophysiological measurements of higher-order cognition, with significant implications for cognitive theory.