Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Pictorial Complexity, Field Dependence/Independence, and English Listening Comprehension

Abstract

This study examined the effects of the pictorial complexity of visual aids on English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners' listening comprehension, and of field dependence/independence orientation on their listening comprehension in situations where visuals of different complexity levels were provided. Data consisting of scores on the Group Embedded Figures Test and two listening tests were collected from 255 participants drawn from six classes in a junior college in Taiwan. The first listening test measured learners' general listening proficiency, while the second test assessed the effects on listening of visuals operationalized in three different conditions of pictorial complexity: simple monochrome, complex monochrome, and supra-complex monochrome. Results show that the complex monochrome group performed best, indicating a significant influence of pictorial complexity on listening comprehension and suggesting complex monochrome as optimal for visual aids in listening tests. While interaction of pictorial complexity and field dependence/independence was not found, in general, field independence was a preferable style across the three conditions. This study concludes with a call for more research into visual aids in second language testing studies.