Effects of Questions, Personalized Communication Style, and Pauses for Reflection in Children's Educational Programs

Abstract

AbstractSix program versions of a televised children's story were produced to represent all combinations of two stimulus factors. The first factor varied communication style employed in presenting pertinent information by using (a) interspersed curiosity-arousing questions, (b) the same questions addressed directly to the viewer (through the use of “you”), or (c) no questions. The second factor varied the time available to reflect on materials presented by providing either (a) a pause, or (b) no pause following the presentation of pertinent information. Kindergarten and first-grade students were exposed to one of the six versions. Visual attention to the program versions, information acquisition of the pertinent materials, and hedonic reactions to the programs were measured. No appreciable differences due to grade or gender were observed. Independent of time allowed for reflection, the use of personalized questions produced levels of information acquisition significantly above those in the no-question con...