Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words? Investigating Structural Knowledge with Textual and Pictorial Stimuli

Abstract

The differences between the processing of textual and pictorial information have been a topic of research for some time now. Previous research concerning the modality of information has often concentrated on the speed of processing rather than the organizational differences that may exist. This experiment utilized card sorting to evaluate the changes in knowledge organization that occur when information is presented in text and picture formats. In addition to this, the structure of the elicitation task was manipulated to evaluate its effects on sharedness. It was found that textual stimuli produced a greater sharedness among participants in a free sorting task. However, for a structured sorting task, results reversed, and pictorial stimuli created a greater level of sharedness. Overall, structured sorting tasks produced a greater level of sharedness than the 6ee sorting condition, regardless of modality.

Evaluation of Pictorial Assembly Instructions for Young Children

“…Instruction design guidelines are difficult to find and apply (Wright, 1999). Most published research has focused on the effects of incorporating pictures or diagrams into textual instructions (Evans, Hoeft, Jentsch, & Bowers, 2002;Glenberg & Langston, 2003;Marcus, Cooper, & Sweller, 1996;Morrell & Park, 1993). Only a few graphic design aspects have been empirically evaluated: action representation and range of depiction (Szlichcinski, 1984), action and structural diagrams (Agrawala et al, 2003), step-by-step and final-state diagrams (Novick & Morse, 2000), and frame sequencing (Spinillo & Dyson, 2001).…”

Investigating the Effects of Modality and Instruction on Structural Knowledge

“…In an initial study, the effects of stimulus modality and instructions on people's mental models were investigated (Evans, Hoefi, Jentsch, & Bowers, 2002). In that study, participants were presented with stimuli in one of three conditions (text only, picture only, both picture and text) and asked to perform card sorts to assess their mental models of common automobile parts.…”

Toward More Usable Pictorial Assembly Instructions for Children

“…There has been some basic research on the design of procedural instructions, focusing largely on the benefits of incorporating pictures or diagrams (Evans III, Hoeft, Jentsch, & Bowers, 2002;Marcus, Cooper, & Sweller, 1996;Morrell & Park, 1993;Stone & Glock, 1981). There is also a small body of empirical research on select graphical aspects of pictorial instructions (Szlichcinski, 1980(Szlichcinski, , 1984.…”