Gaze　movement　plays　an　important　role　in　human　visual　search　system.　In　literature,　the　winner-take-all　method　is　wildly　used　to　simulate　the　controlling　of　the　gaze　movement.　The　winner-take-all　is　a　type　of　single-cell　coding　method,　which　uses　one　cell　(grandmother　cell)　or　one　response　to　represent　an　object.　However,　eye　movement　is　affected　by　the　visual　context　which　includes　more　than　one　object　in　images,　especially　in　target　search.　Therefore,　we　propose　to　use　the　population　coding　with　more　than　one　response　rather　than　the　single-cell　coding　on　gaze　movement　control.　The　proposed　method　is　supported　by　the　theoretical　analysis　and　experiments　on　a　real　image　database　which　show　the　population-cell-coding　improves　the　target　locating　accuracy　by　44.4%　only　at　the　cost　of　coding　22.4%　more　information　than　that　of　single-cell-coding.　©　2009　IEEE.