Reader’s comprehension of indirect replies is affected by the speaker’s motives in the late stage: evidence from oculomotor and electrodermal activities

In daily conversations, speakers often give indirect responses due to face concerns. However, it remains unclear how such motives affect comprehension. We recorded eye movements and electrodermal activity as participants read question-reply dialogues in which speakers replied with positive or negative evaluations, delivered directly or indirectly, about their own or the listeners’ performance. Participants judged whether the reply conveyed a “yes” or “no” answer. Compared with direct replies, indirect replies elicited shorter gaze duration and a higher first-pass regression rate in the target area, where the intended meaning was derived, and longer gaze duration, second-pass reading time, and total reading time in the pre-target area. When the speaker’s face was at stake, indirect replies increased regressions to the pre-target area, and this effect positively correlated with Consciousness of Social Face scores. These findings indicate late-stage integration of information related to speaker’s motives, consistent with the Standard Pragmatic View.