June 27, 2025 – 1:00 p.m. On-site and online session (Room M204, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy). Language: Spanish.
Inka Romero-Ortells Labrada
University of Nebrija
Subtitles play an essential role in audiovisual learning, but their impact on visual attention depends on language familiarity and script accessibility. This research uses eye-tracking technology to examine how subtitles influence gaze behavior and comprehension in second-language (L2) learners. Eye-tracking captures real-time fixation patterns, providing insights into cognitive processing during multimedia learning. In L2 contexts, gaze behavior reflects how learners integrate auditory and textual information, with subtitles acting as attention-guiding elements. However, their effect varies based on subtitle placement, language congruency, and script familiarity. The first experiment compares gaze patterns in instructional videos with and without subtitles, examining original (English) and dubbed (Spanish) versions. Results suggest that native-language audio increases fixation on the speaker’s eyes, while subtitles—regardless of language—guide visual attention. The second experiment investigates dual subtitles (L1 and L2), focusing on placement effects. Viewers allocate more attention to the top subtitle line, especially when it matches the audio language. Subtitle presence improves comprehension for L2 audio, highlighting its role in learning. The third experiment explores script familiarity. Results show that subtitles in an unfamiliar script (Hindi: Devanagari) receive minimal attention, even when aligned with the audio. In contrast, subtitles in a familiar language and script distribute gaze more evenly between the text and the speaker’s face. This research contributes to optimizing subtitle design for multimedia learning, offering insights into how language accessibility and visual processing affect L2 comprehension.
Bio
Inka Romero-Ortells Labrada is a Researcher Associate at the University of Nebrija and a Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición (CINC) member. She has also worked at the University of Valencia and the University of Essex. Her research focuses on education and cognitive processes, particularly on enhancing second language (L2) learning at both behavioral and neuropsychological levels, with interest in word recognition and reading. In addition to her research work, she has experience as a language teacher, multilingual communicator, and translator (specializing in audiovisual translation), which provides a unique perspective on language teaching and the challenges learners face during the process.
