Eye Tracking, Spatial Biases, and Normative Spectatorship in Museums

This study examines the viewing behavior of museum spectators during three eye-tracking experiments, the participants of which included wheelchair and non-chair users. The study pays particular attention to the spatial biases of spectators, such as the tendency to scan artworks left-to-right or top-to-bottom. These spatial biases, the authors suggest, enhance our understanding of “normative spectatorship,” both by demonstrating how normative ideas about spectators’ bodies shape exhibition display practices, and by revealing how display practices contribute to fostering normative viewing behavior.