Investigating the Influence of Simultaneous– Versus Sequential–Text-Picture Presentation on Text-Picture Integration

ABSTRACT

This study investigated whether text-picture integration is facilitated when text and pictures are presented simultaneously instead of sequentially. Participants memorized general and specific sentences and pictures. It was expected that due to text-picture integration, participants should falsely recognize specific versions of the sentences and pictures even after having studied only their general versions before. Sentences and pictures were presented simultaneously or sequentially with the picture either preceding or following the corresponding sentence. Contrary to expectations, text-picture integration was only observed for picture recognition and was not influenced by temporal contiguity. Findings are explained by the use of simple materials that did not sufficiently tax working-memory capacity to allow for any benefit of a simultaneous text-picture presentation to occur.

KEYWORDS:

• Integration of text and pictures
• mental representations
• multimedia learning
• sequential presentation
• temporal contiguity principle