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This study examined interactions among text, task, and reader factors in 2 experiments with a total of 64 undergraduates that looked at the role of paragraphing, a surface text feature, on the identification of and memory for main ideas as compared to elaborative information in expository passages. In the coincident paragraphing condition, main ideas of the passage were paragraph initial. In the conflicting condition, elaborations of the main ideas were paragraph initial. Although paragraphing identified these elaboration sentences as main ideas, the content information conflicted with that designation. The paragraphing manipulation had a greater effect on the differentiation of main ...

The Story Model of Juror Decision Making proposes that jurors develop a story of the case, match the story to verdict templates, and then select the best match between the story and the verdict. The present research investigated the effect different text structures in opening statements and closing arguments had on jurors' recognition for trial information and decision-making. It was hypothesized: (1) narrative opening statements would enhance story construction and (2) comparison-expository closing arguments would enhance story classification. 80 introductory psychology students read a medical malpractice mock lawsuit, rendered a verdict, were tested for recognition of trial facts, and gave ...

This study examined the influence of interclause connectives on inference generation in 3 experiments. 200 undergraduates made lexical decisions after reading statement pairs which were either joined or not joined by the connectives because, and, or after. The pattern of results across the experiments indicate that readers incorporate causal knowledge-based inferences in the discourse representations for sentences containing a causal connective and support the hypothesis that connectives elicit inferences that are based on the connective's meaning. Findings are discussed in the context of previous research on connectives and the connective integration model. ...

This study examined the influence of interclause connectives on inference generation in 3 experiments. 200 undergraduates made lexical decisions after reading statement pairs which were either joined or not joined by the connectives because, and, or after. The pattern of results across the experiments indicate that readers incorporate causal knowledge-based inferences in the discourse representations for sentences containing a causal connective and support the hypothesis that connectives elicit inferences that are based on the connective's meaning. Findings are discussed in the context of previous research on connectives and the connective integration model. ...

Previous studies have suggested that signaling enhances multimedia learning. However, there is not enough evidence showing why signaling leads to better performance. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of signaling on learning outcomes and to reveal the underlying reasons for this effect by using eye movement measures. The participants were 40 undergraduate students who were presented with either signaled or nonsignaled multimedia materials. Labels in the illustration were signaled by temporarily changing the color of the items. The results suggest that the signaled group outperformed the nonsignaled group on transfer and matching tests. Eye movement data ...

There is a paucity of information regarding the optimal method of presenting risk/benefit information to parents of pediatric research subjects. This study, therefore, was designed to examine the effect of different message formats on parents' understanding of research risks and benefits. An Internet-administered survey was completed by 4,685 parents who were randomized to receive risk/benefit information about a study of pediatric postoperative pain control presented in different message formats (text, tables, and pictographs). Survey questions assessed participants' gist and verbatim understanding of the information and their perceptions of the risks and benefits. Pictographs were associated with significantly (p<.05) greater likelihood ...

Effects of typographical cues on text memory were investigated. In Experiment 1, college students read a 4-page text, then were tested on memory for specific "target" statements. The text contained no underlining (control), or the targets were underlined (light signaling), or the targets and half of the nontarget sentences were underlined (heavy signaling). Cued recall was better in the light condition than in the control or heavy conditions, which did not differ. Experiment 2 replicated the control and light conditions using capitalization to signal targets. Texts were computer-presented to record sentence reading times. Reading was slower and memory was better ...

Effects of typographical cues on text memory were investigated. In Experiment 1, college students read a 4-page text, then were tested on memory for specific "target" statements. The text contained no underlining (control), or the targets were underlined (light signaling), or the targets and half of the nontarget sentences were underlined (heavy signaling). Cued recall was better in the light condition than in the control or heavy conditions, which did not differ. Experiment 2 replicated the control and light conditions using capitalization to signal targets. Texts were computer-presented to record sentence reading times. Reading was slower and memory was better ...

Patients want and need comprehensive and accurate information about their medicines so that they can participate in decisions about their healthcare. In particular, they require information about the likely risks and benefits that are associated with the different treatment options. However, to provide this information in a form that people can readily understand and use is a considerable challenge to healthcare professionals. One recent attempt to standardise the language of risk has been to produce sets of verbal descriptors that correspond to specific probability ranges, such as those outlined in the European Commission (EC) Pharmaceutical Committee guidelines in ...

We present evidence that the comprehension of illustrated tee makes use of the visuospatial sketchpad component ofworking memory. The results from three experiments demonstrate that the comprehending of teats that are accompanied by pictures interferes with the performance of a spatial short-term memory task more than does the comprehending of texts that have no pictures. A fourth experiment demonstrates that the interference is found only when there is a requirement to comprehend the text; that is, the simple presentation of the texts and their pictures did not degrade performance on the spatial task. Finally, we show that the comprehension of ...