Reading from Single Versus Multiple Displays: A Cross-Sectional Developmental Comparison

Background/Objectives: Mastery of reading requires the ability to process multiple stimuli in sequence. Previous research shows that children gradually develop this skill as their reading experience increases. This study investigated the serial superiority effect and its association with reading experience. Reading performance was compared using single- and multiple-word displays in typically developing Italian readers from 1st to 3rd grade. Given the link between reading times and interindividual variability, the analyses used models (DEM, RAM, and State trace) that account for global components of individual performance. Methods: Ninety 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-grade students participated. Children were presented with words of varying lengths. Stimuli appeared either sequentially from left to right (single-display condition) or in a static array of 25 words (multiple-display condition). Results: Reading times were faster in the multiple-display than the single-display condition, as expected. Analyses of global components showed that this advantage increased linearly with years of schooling. This finding reflects a progressive mastery of multiple displays as the reading experience grew. Conclusions: Global processing models effectively capture early reading acquisition, especially the increasing difference between reading from single displays and managing multiple reading stimuli.