Comparative Network Analysis of Gaze Behavior in Eye‐Tracking Data: A Case Study of Edible Versus Conventional Yogurt Films

ABSTRACT

Food packaging shapes consumer expectations before tasting, yet most eye‐tracking studies in this area rely on predefined areas of interest (AOIs) and static attention metrics. The present study investigated whether an unfamiliar edible film alters visual exploration of yogurt packaging when gaze behavior is analyzed as a dynamic system. Eye‐tracking data from 100 participants viewing two package images were analyzed: one with a conventional transparent film and one with a brown edible film derived from single‐cell protein. AOIs were identified using data‐driven fixation clustering rather than manual definition. Gaze transitions between AOIs were modeled as directed weighted networks, and scanpath structure was assessed using sequence‐based measures. Six emergent AOIs were identified in each image. Compared with the control condition, the edible‐film condition increased the structural importance of the Film AOI, with higher PageRank (0.25 vs. 0.19; ) and weighted degree centrality (3667 vs. 2591; ), while the Film Information AOI also showed increased PageRank (0.22 vs. 0.16; ) and weighted degree centrality (3818 vs. 2068; ). Aggregate transition matrices and network visualizations indicated stronger transitions between the Film and Product Label regions and greater concentration of attention around film‐related AOIs in the edible‐film image. Network‐level comparison further indicated topological differences between conditions (spectral distance = 123.46; normalized spectral distance = 0.32), reported here as a descriptive, exploratory indicator. In addition, the edible‐film image produced greater heterogeneity in initial orienting behavior, reflected in higher first‐fixation entropy (1.15 vs. 0.71), and lower scanpath similarity across participants (0.583 vs. 0.599; permutation test, p  < 0.001). These findings show that the presence of an unfamiliar edible film influenced not only where participants looked, but also how visual attention was organized over time. The study demonstrates the value of combining data‐driven AOI identification with network and sequence analysis in sensory and consumer research, particularly for the evaluation of novel food‐packaging concepts.