Validating Information during L2 Reading: Eye-Tracking Insights from University Students

This study examined the effect of English L2 proficiency on validation processes in Chilean Spanish-native university students, specifically whether proficiency modulates readers' ability to detect inconsistencies. Fifty participants completed the LexTALE English proficiency test and Deep Cloze measure (L1 reading control). Based on LexTALE scores, they were divided into high and low proficiency groups and read 20 texts containing consistent or inconsistent information while eye movements were recorded. Results confirmed that validation operates in L2 reading: inconsistent texts elicited significantly longer total reading times and increased regressions in the target region. A significant proficiency × consistency interaction emerged in total reading time, where high proficiency readers showed greater sensitivity to inconsistencies. Validation effects were localized to the target region, with no consistency effects in the spillover region, differing from L1 validation studies where effects extend beyond the inconsistency site. Comprehension accuracy revealed only consistency effects with no proficiency differences, evidencing a dissociation between online validation processing and offline comprehension outcomes. L1 reading ability significantly predicted multiple eye-tracking measures independently of L2 proficiency, providing evidence for cross-linguistic transfer. These findings demonstrate that while validation operates in L2 reading, it shows distinct characteristics from L1, particularly in spatial localization and the processing-comprehension disconnect. Although high proficiency readers demonstrated more efficient validation processing, this advantage did not translate into superior comprehension accuracy, suggesting proficiency modulates validation effectiveness without fully bridging the L1-L2 gap. Results have important implications for extending validation models to L2 contexts and instructional approaches in academic settings.