Final answer:
Eye tracking is not used to measure the ability to identify words; this statement is false. Instead, eye tracking is a technique aimed at assessing visual processing and attention by monitoring eye movements. It is more closely related to understanding and diagnosing ocular conditions than word recognition.
Step-by-step explanation:
The claim that eye tracking is used to measure the ability to identify words is false. Eye tracking technology is primarily associated with observing and measuring eye movements to understand visual processing and attention mechanisms. In experiments involving fMRI and eye tracking, researchers can measure brain activity related to various visual tasks. For example, in one experiment, subjects might view images to test attentional focus and brain activity is measured to reveal which parts of the brain are engaged in the task.
During such visual tasks, different regions of the brain such as visual sensory areas, motor areas responsible for moving the eyes, and integrating areas become active. These activities are indicative of brain function and are used to map how the brain processes visual information, not just for word identification. Moreover, tasks like identifying a face from a photograph would engage areas involved in recognition and decision-making, which can be seen via fMRI imaging. Hence, multiple brain regions can display activity, disproving the myth that only 10 percent of the brain is used.
Eye tracking in medicine may also involve tests where a patient follows an object with their eyes to assess the functionality of extraocular muscles and related nervous system components. However, this is separate from identifying words and is more aligned with diagnosing conditions like diplopia or internuclear ophthalmoplegia.