The Effects of Online News Package Structure on Attitude, Attention, and Comprehension

Abstract

Research has shown that website structure can impact storytelling. Based on theory regarding website interactivity and navigability, this study examined the effects of two online news packages’ website designs—a multiple-page, nonlinear, click-through design and a single-page, linear, scroll-through design—on users’ attitudes toward the website, factual and structural comprehension of site content, and attention to the site. Results of a 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment revealed that both types of comprehension were influenced by the interaction between website design and attention. Among participants who spent at least 10 min browsing, users were better able to recognize facts after looking at the scroll-through site, but they showed a deeper understanding of content after looking at the click-through site. Theoretical and practical implications for storytelling are discussed.

Subduing attitude polarization?

“…31 Further, what are the effects on hostile media perceptions if, instead of one news story, individuals are exposed to a heterogeneous bundle of news -a more likely scenario in the online news media environment? 6,15,16,19 Findings by Fico and colleagues show that the more partisan news stories become, the more bias is reported by readers. 36 Their study did contain a bundle of news, and each article had a different internal balance and/or story valence, but each article referred to a different topic, making control at the story level (external balance) difficult.…”

“…Further, what are the effects on hostile media perceptions if, instead of one news story, individuals are exposed to a heterogeneous bundle of news — a more likely scenario in the online news media environment? 6,15,16,19 If the hostile media perceptions can arise from balanced and partisan news, what are the effects of exposure to a heterogeneous bundle of partisan news, and, more importantly, do hostile media effects translate into attitude polarization for individuals — whether they have strong issue positions or not?…”

“…However, online news users typically encounter more than one news article within an online experience, mostly two or more articles — what could be called a package, for instance, a webpage with different links to news articles. 6,15,16,17 For instance, most online news comes from social media, and although most of the exposure is like-minded, users still have exposure to difference through family members, high school or college friends, and/or coworkers whom we may have in our networks. Cross-sectional data show that half of Facebook users get news while Facebooking; 78% of these individuals mostly see news when on Facebook for other reasons, and the range of topics and opinions is quite broad.…”