Testing the seductive details effect: Does the format or the amount of seductive details matter?

Abstract

SummaryA body of research indicates that the inclusion of seductive details in instructional materials negatively impacts learning. However, there is scant research that examines the format and the amount of seductive details as potential moderating factors across multiple learning outcomes. In two studies, one focused on seductive pictures and one on seductive text, we examined whether the amount of seductive details influenced learning performance on several outcomes. Experiment 1 participants were 88 middle school students (68% female,Mage= 17.45 years) randomly assigned to no‐seductive‐images (n= 30), single‐seductive‐image‐per‐screen (n= 30), and multiple‐seductive‐images‐per‐screen (n= 28) conditions. In Experiment 2 focused on seductive text, participants were 93 middle school students (61% female;Mage= 17.26 years) randomly assigned to no‐seductive‐details (n= 33), short‐seductive‐details (n= 33), and long‐seductive‐details (n= 30) conditions. Across experiments, we collected data on situational interest, cognitive load, retention, and transfer as well as judgments of learning, distraction, and learning‐related emotions. Findings showed that students learning with longer seductive text (but not multiple images) significantly outperformed those learning with shorter‐text or no‐seductive‐details in terms of transfer. This study highlights the importance of exploring seductive details in relation to both the format of presentation and the amount of seductive details.