Preregistration Protocol: Hidden Eyes. Hidden Strategies. - An Exploratory Eye-Tracking Approach to Investigating Visual Strategies in Basic Mathematical Skills.

Studies indicate that visual attention and quantity processing correlate with mathematical performance. Additionally, impaired nonverbal number representation is discussed as a cause of dyscalculia. While previous research on dyscalculia has focused on arithmetic test outcomes, little is known about visual strategies during mathematical task processing. Eye tracking offers insights into cognitive processes, as eye movements allow conclusions about perception strategies in basic numerical skills. This exploratory study aims to identify latent gaze patterns in mathematical perception tasks and examine whether stable, crossindividual visual strategies can be linked to basic mathematical skills. An eye-tracking study using stimuli from the Heidelberger Rechentest 1 - 4 records fixations, saccades, dwell time, reaction time and error rate. Latent Profile Analysis will be applied to identify visual pattern profiles. The adult sample includes students. Findings may support understanding of individual differences and impairments relevant to arithmetic skills.