What is the strategy called that involves eye movements occurring just before needing information?

The strategy that involves eye movements occurring just before needing information is known as the Just-in-time strategy. This approach emphasizes the utility of directing attention and making eye movements in anticipation of information that will soon be necessary for decision-making or task performance. By strategically shifting gaze in advance of when the information will be required, individuals are able to enhance their cognitive efficiency and processing speed.

In cognitive psychology, this strategy highlights how our visual and attentional systems work together to optimize task performance by ensuring that relevant information is processed just as it becomes necessary, reflecting an adaptive use of cognitive resources.

Other strategies, like change detection, preattentive processing, and pre-cueing, have different focuses. Change detection refers to noticing differences in visual scenes over time, preattentive processing relates to automatic, effortless processing of certain visual features, and pre-cueing involves providing hints about where attention should be directed. Each of these plays a role in perceptual processes but does not specifically pertain to the anticipatory eye movements aligned with imminent information needs as the Just-in-time strategy does.