Ethnicity has 'more impact on eye movements than culture' - Optometry Today

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April 8 2014

Researchers studying eye movements have found that ethnicity rather than culture is the underlying factor in influencing patterns. The findings dispute previous research which suggested that neurological behaviour, such as eye movement, is shaped by cultural influence.

Scientists at the University of Liverpool tested three groups of participants; Chinese (70), British Chinese (45) and White British (70), to look at the speed of small eye movements called saccades.

Subjects looked at a white board and coloured lights would flash up on the board. The time taken for the eyes to react was then recorded by a headset.

The researchers found that from the three groups, subjects of Chinese ethnicity had faster eye movements than Caucasians, despite the British Chinese subjects having different cultural values to Chinese subjects – as measured by questionnaire.

Dr Paul Knox, the Neurophysiologist at the University of Liverpool who led the study, said: "Many scientists believe that the eye movement patterns you develop are due to where you live, the books you read and the influence of your family, peers and community – your culture.

"Our research has shown that this cannot be the case, at least for saccade behaviour. What this leaves is the way we're made, perhaps our genetics. And this may have a bearing on the way the brains in different groups react to injuries and disease."

The research was published in the journal PLoS ONE.

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