Memory for pictures: a life-span study of the role of visual detail

This experiment assessed the effect of the amount of physical detail in pictures on picture recognition memory for 7-year-olds, 9-year-olds, young adults, and older adults over 68. Subjects were presented simple and complex line drawings, factorially combined in a "same-different" recognition test with simple or complex forms of each. For each age group, recognition accuracy was significantly higher for pictures presented in the simple than in the complex form. This effect was due to differences between simple and complex pictures in the correct rejection rate but not the hit rate; subjects were less accurate detecting deletions from changed complex pictures than additions to changed simple pictures. The older adults were no better than chance at correctly rejecting changed complex pictures. Although increasing the presentation duration from 5 sec to 15 sec increased overall accuracy, it did not increase subjects' ability to correctly reject changed complex pictures. Results are interpreted in terms of schematic encoding and storage of pictures. Accordingly, visual information that communicates the central schema of each picture is more likely to be encoded and retained in memory than information that does not communicate this schema.     

Memory for Expository Text: the effects of verbal and pictorial enhancements

Previous research has shown that pictures can be effective in enhancing text memory. For example, Waddill and McDaniel (1992) found that pictures depicting detail information in an expository text effectively enhanced recall of those details and pictures depicting relational information effectively enhanced recall of those relations. However, the research on picture enhancement effects raises the question of whether the mnemonic value of pictures is simply a by‐product of having drawn attention to parts of the text through selective repetition of text content. The present study addressed the question by comparing the relative effectiveness of pictures versus simple verbal captions in promoting text memory. The results replicated the Waddill and McDaniel (1992) pictorial enhancement effect. However, the results showed that repeating the targeted information in a verbal caption was as effective as providing a pictorial illustration, thus suggesting that repetition of text content rather than nonverbal pictorial illustrations produced the effect. The findings generalized across three texts that differed in the amount of spatial content they conveyed.     

What you see is what you remember? Depictions of historical figures influence memory for historical facts

We investigated whether the characteristics of pictures affect memory for verbal learning materials. In the learning phase, participants watched a slideshow about historical figures that were depicted as more or as less powerful. The slideshow included spoken information that was more prototypical for either powerful or powerless people and thus semantically congruent (e.g., depiction and verbal information rated as powerful) or incongruent with the pictures. Congruency resulted in more errors when participants had to reject incorrect items in a memory test. There was no effect of congruency on verifying correct items. This pattern was observed for a slideshow that included one picture for each historical figure (Experiment 1) and for a slideshow including additional pictures (Experiment 2). Hence, both experiments provide corroborating evidence that pictures affect learners’ memory for verbal learning materials. These findings are relevant for instructional practice with regard to the design of learning materials and test items.     

The two-tier instrument on photosynthesis: What does it diagnose?

The goal of this study was to understand how six college biology students complete the tasks of a traditional paper and pencil instrument designed to detect alternative conceptions about photosynthesis. Participants responded to relevant items in a two-tier diagnostic instrument in a think-aloud task. Responses to the traditional content question (first tier) were correct more often than reasons (second tier). However the participants' verbal data indicated that they relied upon test-taking strategies, not retrieval from memory, to choose their reasons. Some distractors caused participants to accept incorrect propositions being considered for the first time (rather than eliciting a misconception from extant knowledge). They also considered relevant exceptions and subtle language cues that justified their choices of incorrect reasons. Participants voiced concerns about the conscientiousness with which students complete such instruments. These findings raise concerns about the validity of using such instruments for diagnosing alternative conceptions.     

Pictures Block the Learning of Sightwords

Young children were taught to name 12 single words, six in the presence of appropriate pictures (compound stimuli) and six in their absence (simple stimuli). There were two compound conditions: one in which the picture was a large line drawing above a small printed word (enhanced salience condition) and one in which it was a small line drawing below a large printed word (reduced salience condition); and two corresponding simple conditions of a large word alone (enhanced salience condition) and a small word alone (reduced salience condition). Each child experienced all four conditions with three different words in each condition in a series of randomly ordered learning and test trials, until each child achieved the criterion of three consecutive correct responses for each of the words in at least one of the conditions. Two experimental studies were completed with 16 children in each, and the percentage of correct responses was calculated for each presentation condition. Comparisons of the compound (picture) and simple (no‐picture) conditions showed that twice as many words were correctly recognised in the simple (no‐picture) conditions in both experiments. No reliable differences were detected between the different levels of salience, and it was concluded that prior association between the picture and the naming response to the picture ‘blocked’ the acquisition of a new association between the written word and the naming response to it.     

Kodak's PHOTO CD System

Abstract

As described in the different announcements made by Kodak, their PHOTO CD originally appeared as a product targeted at the general public. However, the purpose of this article is to describe the system which Kodak is going to produce and which is specifically directed towards professionals. This will be of interest to the educational system for its potential use of photographs and images. As well as its attraction for the general public and the professional, PHOTO CD is characterized by the following two important aspects:

‐ The system does not in any way affect the way pictures are actually taken; conventional films are used which are only transferred onto optical disks after being developed.

— The pictures can be viewed equally well on an ordinary television, or on a compatible PC micro or Macintosh.

PHOTO CD, then, seems to be a means of constructing picture banks which are available for editing. Recalling existing pictures poses no greater problem than integrating new pictures into the bank,” on the other hand, from the number of possible ways of viewing pictures, one can foresee quite complex use (multimedia or micro) as well as simple use (diaporama on a television).     

Explaining the modality effect in multimedia learning: Is it due to a lack of temporal contiguity with written text and pictures?

The study examined whether the modality effect is caused by either high visuo-spatial load or a lack of temporal contiguity when processing written text and pictures. Students (N = 147) viewed pictures on the development of tornados, which were accompanied by either spoken or written explanations presented simultaneously with, before, or after the pictures. For verbal recall no modality effect was observed, whereas for transfer the influence of modality varied as a function of phonological working memory capacity. For pictorial recall the results showed a modality effect that was limited to simultaneous presentation, apparently in line with the temporal contiguity explanation. However, spoken simultaneous presentations were not superior to spoken sequential presentations, which contradicts the temporal contiguity explanation for the modality effect. Rather, it seems as if learners with simultaneous presentation of written text and picture concentrated more on the text and ignored the pictures, resulting in worse pictorial recall.     

The Shared Income Tax and School Support in Wisconsin

Abstract

This study compared the effectiveness of the discovery and verbal reception teaching methods as a function of instructional language in unilingual and bilingual subjects. Unilingual subjects were taught in English while bilingual subjects were taught in either their primary language, Spanish, or their secondary language, English. The results indicated that regardless of language or method of instruction, bilingual subjects took longer to acquire the conceptual rule than unilingual subjects. The retention and transfer performance of unilingual and bilingual subjects taught in their primary language was best when the verbal reception method was used. When taught in their secondary language, however, the retention of bilingual subjects was better following the discovery method.     

An Experiment with the Controlled Reader

Abstract

This study was an investigation of items on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) to ascertain if verbal responses to items missed indicated that the concept was familiar at the same level of abstraction as the word in the PPVT. One hundred 8-year-old children-25 black boys, 25 black girls, 25 white boys, and 25 white girls-were administered Form A of the PPVT. Eighty-eight children responded verbally to the pictures of the stimulus words missed. Data were analyzed by means of a two-way analysis of variance. A chi square test of significance was used to determine significance level of difference between items for each group. Judges analyzed verbal responses to determine if responses elicited were 1) at the same level of abstraction as the stimulus word, 2) considered to be synonymous to the stimulus word, and 3) indicated the student's understanding of the concept signified by the word. A total of 23 words were identified as being missed disproportionately by one group more than the other. Verbal responses indicated that the concept was familiar for 16 items and unfamiliar for three items. Of the remaining four items, there was indication of differences among the groups.     

Unkindest Cuts? Some effects of picture editing on recall of television news information

Research into picture effects on encoding of verbal material has paid little attention to the effects of picture changes. In this experiment, it was found that adults’ recall of the spoken text in a TV news item was impaired by mid‐sentence picture editing. In contrast, both 11‐12 year old and 14‐15 year old children's recall was enhanced by rapid cutting, so long as the accompanying pictures were relevant to the verbal text. Both adults’ and younger children's recall was better with some of the experimentally‐manipulated material than it was with the original broadcast version of the news item. However, 14‐15 year olds performed best with the original version.

It is suggested that viewers are differentially sensitive to unintended production effects and that their processing of verbal information can be disrupted by inappropriately‐timed picture cuts. Research on picture‐text relationships in audio‐visual material needs to take account of picture‐timing, as well as picture content, and television editing procedures may need to be tailored more specifically to suit the intended audience.     

Effects of Self-Concept on Learning with Gifted Children

Abstract

The present study examined die influence self-concept played in a verbal free recall and non-verbal paired associate learning task with gifted children. Twenty-four male and 24 female pre-adolescents were divided into high and low self-concept groups for each sex, forming four groups with 12 subjects in each group. A 20-item free recall task and a five-trial, six-item non-verbal paired associate learning task were administered. High self-esteem boys and girls showed significantly greater mastery of all learning tasks than lower self-concept counterparts. Analysis of organization scores supported the use of more sophisticated learning strategies by children with higher self-perceptions.     

Extending the theoretical foundations of multimedia learning: Activation,integration, and validation occur when processing illustrated texts

BackgroundText illustrated by pictures (i.e., multimedia material) is often used to improve learning outcomes. To support learning, it is essential to understand and specify the ongoing cognitive processes when processing illustrated texts.AimsWe focus on three cognitive processes identified when processing non-illustrated texts: activation, integration, and validation. In three experiments, we investigated whether the three processes occur during the processing of illustrated texts and whether the processes differ between illustrated and non-illustrated texts.SamplesExperiment 1 had 170 participants, Experiment 2 had 221 participants, and Experiment 3 had 132 participants.MethodAll experiments used an adapted version of the contradiction paradigm. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants read texts that contained information that was consistent vs. inconsistent with a later sentence (target sentence). It was additionally varied whether a picture illustrated the consistent vs. inconsistent information. In Experiment 3, only the pictures were consistent or inconsistent with the target sentence. We measured reading times for the target sentence and the following sentence (spillover sentence).ResultsIn all three experiments, reading times were significantly longer in the inconsistent than in the consistent conditions. This prolongation of reading times was not affected by the picture in Experiments 1 and 2.ConclusionOur results indicate that activation, integration, and validation processes are similar when processing non-illustrated and illustrated texts (Experiments 1 and 2) and also occur when information is presented across text and picture (Experiment 3). We discuss the implications for the theoretical foundations of multimedia learning.     

Inspecting a picture before reading affects attentional processing but not comprehension

Abstract

This study investigated whether presenting a picture before reading can encourage situation-model construction. We compared two conditions (n?= 30) which differed in whether a picture of the initial situation described in a narrative text was presented before reading (i.e. pictorial-support condition) or not (i.e. no-picture condition). Situation-model construction was measured using both process- and product-oriented measures. Eye-tracking data indicated online resource allocation to the different levels of text representation: surface, textbase, and situation model. Literal text questions and inference questions were used as an offline indication of textbase and situation-model processing, respectively. The results showed that a picture presented before reading led to a redistribution of processing resources during reading, evidenced by a shift from textbase to situation-model processing. This attentional shift did not translate into higher comprehension scores. The results were interpreted in line with multimedia learning theories suggesting pictures can serve as a mental scaffold for situation-model construction.     

A Comparison of Reading Ages with Menta1 Ages

Abstract

This study examines the differences in verbal concept development between Indian and non-Indian 5- and 6-year-old children entering kindergarten and first grade in a Canadian school. The Boehm Test of Basic Concepts was used as a measure of verbal concept development. Results indicate that significant differences exist between groups in favor of non-Indian Ss. Implications for intervention programs which will insure that Indian children have mastered simple verbal concepts used in conversation and in classroom instruction are briefly discussed.     

A developmental study of automatic word processing in a picture classification task.

Second-grade children, third-grade children, and adults judged whether pictures were members of a positive or negative memory set while trying to ignore irrelevant words printed inside the pictures. There were 3 types of picture-word relation. In 1 condition, the words corresponded to the pictures. In a second condition, the pictures and words were incongruent, but the words corresponded to the correct response (e.g., with dog and horse the positive set pictures, a picture of a dog containing the word "horse"). In the third condition, the pictures and words were incongruent and corresponded to conflicting responses. For all 3 subject groups, the type of picture-word relation reliably affected response latencies, indicating that subjects automatically processed the irrelevant printed words.