Fact · Typing and writing speed
Salthouse's 1986 review reports that the eye-hand span is larger as typists become more skilled.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“span is larger with increased skill. This phenomenon was first reported by Butsch (1932)”
Perceptual, cognitive, and motoric aspects of transcription typing, Timothy A. Salthouse, Psychological Bulletin, 1986, Discussion of eye-hand span.
Open the original- What it measures
- Butsch first reported the pattern in 1932, and later studies by Salthouse confirmed it, including one that used a sequential keying task.
- What it does not show
- A review of laboratory studies with small groups. The finding is about how the span relates to skill, not a training method.