This eye-tracking research investigates cross-cultural similarities and differences in visual attention in complex scenes free-viewing perception. The study utilizes 70 real-world photos with one or two focal objects as stimulus materials. The study examines the amount of time spent on focal objects, saccadic lengths, temporal changes in saccadic lengths and factors that influence these metrics. Data were collected between 2020 and 2022 from seven cultural samples in Africa, East Asia, Europe, and the Near East (N = 408). Contrary to initial hypotheses, the findings challenge the expected order of countries in terms of attention toward objects. Participants from Taiwan, assumed to exhibit holistic patterns, displayed the most holistic viewing pattern. Surprisingly, participants from Germany and Czechia did not significantly differ from those in Taiwan. Furthermore, participants from Ghana and Türkiye, expected to be moderate, showed the most analytic pattern. This challenges preconceived notions and contributes to understanding patterns of scene perception in underrepresented countries. Additional analyses explored the relationship between number and size of focal objects and dwell time, as well as the potential influence of sociodemographic variables, on dwell time.

Department of Education and Psychology Experimental and Neurocognitive Psychology Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany

Department of Geoinformatics Faculty of Mining and Geology VŠB Technical University of Ostrava Ostrava Czechia

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Tübingen Center for Mental Health University Hospital Tübingen Tübingen Germany

Department of Psychology National Chengchi University Taipei Taiwan

Department of Public Administration University of Ghana Business School Accra Ghana

Department of Regional Development Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies Mendel University in Brno Brno Czechia

Department of Social Studies Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies Mendel University in Brno Zemědělská 1 61300 Brno Czechia

German Center for Mental Health partner site Tübingen Tübingen Germany

Institute of Mathematics Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Brno University of Technology Brno Czechia

Interdisciplinary Research Team on Internet and Society Faculty of Social Studies Masaryk University Brno Czechia

Laboratory of Information and Cognitive Sciences Faculty of Arts Masaryk University Brno Czechia

LEAD Graduate School and Research Network University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany

Research Center for Mind Brain and Learning National Chengchi University Taipei Taiwan

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