'Here's Looking at You, Kid': Eye Tracking Applications in Consumer Information Processing Research

Although eye tracking is a method able to reveal cognitive processes that cannot be measured with approaches such as surveys or direct observation, its use in consumer research is uncommon and primarily restricted to the measurement of attention. This paper analyzes the application of eye tracking in marketing and consumer research thus far, and identifies more innovative ways in which eye tracking could be employed, specifically in conjunction with other methods such as verbal protocols or information display boards. We further provide suggestions on how to utilize eye tracking for the integration of visual with linguistic information, and in the measurement of affect-based constructs.