TY - JOUR

T1 - Do learner characteristics moderate the seductive-details-effect?

T2 - A cognitive-load-study using eye-tracking

AU - Park, Babette

AU - Korbach, Andreas

AU - Brünken, Roland

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - The present study examines whether the seductive-details effect is moderated by spatial ability and prior knowledge, which are two of the most relevant learner characteristics in multimedia learning. It is assumed that the seductive-details effect with an increase in extraneous cognitive load and a decrease in perceptual processing and learning success is only present for learners with low spatial ability and low prior knowledge. To this end, the present study uses an Aptitude-Treatment-Interaction Design with separate analyses for spatial ability and prior knowledge as aptitude-variables and seductive details (with vs. without) as treatment-variable. Participants (N = 50) were asked to learn about biology with a multimedia instruction that manipulated seductive details. The results show that learners perceptual processing, measured by eye-tracking, and learning performance was significantly lower when learning with seductive details. In addition, spatial ability and especially prior knowledge were confirmed to play the expected moderating role.

AB - The present study examines whether the seductive-details effect is moderated by spatial ability and prior knowledge, which are two of the most relevant learner characteristics in multimedia learning. It is assumed that the seductive-details effect with an increase in extraneous cognitive load and a decrease in perceptual processing and learning success is only present for learners with low spatial ability and low prior knowledge. To this end, the present study uses an Aptitude-Treatment-Interaction Design with separate analyses for spatial ability and prior knowledge as aptitude-variables and seductive details (with vs. without) as treatment-variable. Participants (N = 50) were asked to learn about biology with a multimedia instruction that manipulated seductive details. The results show that learners perceptual processing, measured by eye-tracking, and learning performance was significantly lower when learning with seductive details. In addition, spatial ability and especially prior knowledge were confirmed to play the expected moderating role.

KW - Eye-tracking

KW - Multimedia learning

KW - Prior knowledge

KW - Seductive details

KW - Spatial ability

KW - Educational science

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84948140884&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:84948140884

VL - 18

SP - 24

EP - 36

JO - Educational Technology and Society

JF - Educational Technology and Society

SN - 1176-3647

IS - 4

ER -