Visual Strategies for Guiding Gaze Sequences and Attention in Yi Symbols: Eye-Tracking Insights

This study investigated the effectiveness of visual strategies in guiding gaze behavior and attention on Yi graphic symbols using eye-tracking. Four strategies, color brightness, layering, line guidance, and size variation, were tested with 34 Thai participants unfamiliar with Yi symbol meanings. Gaze sequence analysis, using Levenshtein distance and similarity ratio, showed that bright colors, layered arrangements, and connected lines enhanced alignment with intended gaze sequences, while size variation had minimal effect. Bright red symbols and lines captured faster initial fixations (Time to First Fixation, TTFF) on key Areas of Interest (AOIs), unlike layering and size. Lines reduced dwell time at sequence starts, promoting efficient progression, while larger symbols sustained longer attention, though inconsistently. Color and layering showed no consistent dwell time effects. These findings inform Yi graphic symbol design for effective cross-cultural visual communication.