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Mitigating the Seductive Details Effect by Topic and Irrelevance Signals

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Title: Mitigating the Seductive Details Effect by Topic and Irrelevance Signals
Language: English
Authors: Lukas Wesenberg (ORCID 0000-0002-2390-1536), Felix Krieglstein (ORCID 0000-0002-1324-3816), Sebastian Jansen, Sascha Schneider, Günter Daniel Rey
Source: British Journal of Educational Psychology. 2026 96(1):382-400.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Instructional Materials, Interference (Learning), Cognitive Processes, Difficulty Level, Relevance (Education), Reading Comprehension
DOI: 10.1111/bjep.70022
ISSN: 0007-0998
2044-8279
Abstract: Background: Seductive details (interesting digressions in learning materials) are often integrated into learning units to make them more appealing to learners. However, studies indicate that this tends to overload students cognitively and impairs their learning performance. Aims: The present study investigated whether these negative consequences can be mitigated if seductive details are marked as thematically independent from the rest (topic signals) or as thematically independent and learning-irrelevant (topic and irrelevance signals). Sample and Method: A total of 195 students read a text on the formation of coral reefs. Depending on the experimental condition, the text either included no seductive details (1), unsignalled seductive details (2), seductive details marked by topic signals, that is, placed in coloured boxes that were declared thematically independent (3) or seductive details marked by topic and irrelevance signals, that is, placed in coloured boxes that were declared thematically independent and irrelevant for the learning goal (4). Results: Results showed that topic signals mitigated and possibly even offset the detrimental effect of seductive details on transfer performance. Additional signalling of their irrelevance showed no significant effect. Furthermore, it was shown that including seductive details partially improves learning indirectly by increasing interest. Conclusions: The results suggest that the seductive detail effect cannot be explained solely by simple distraction. They provide a first indication that designers of (digital) textbooks who wish to increase students' interest by including digressions could prevent negative consequences by only signalling their thematic independence. However, this novel effect needs replication before reliable, practical recommendations can be made.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1496096
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Mitigating the Seductive Details Effect by Topic and Irrelevance Signals
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lukas+Wesenberg%22">Lukas Wesenberg</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2390-1536">0000-0002-2390-1536</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Felix+Krieglstein%22">Felix Krieglstein</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1324-3816">0000-0002-1324-3816</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sebastian+Jansen%22">Sebastian Jansen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sascha+Schneider%22">Sascha Schneider</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Günter+Daniel+Rey%22">Günter Daniel Rey</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22British+Journal+of+Educational+Psychology%22"><i>British Journal of Educational Psychology</i></searchLink>. 2026 96(1):382-400.
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 10.1111/bjep.70022
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  Data: Background: Seductive details (interesting digressions in learning materials) are often integrated into learning units to make them more appealing to learners. However, studies indicate that this tends to overload students cognitively and impairs their learning performance. Aims: The present study investigated whether these negative consequences can be mitigated if seductive details are marked as thematically independent from the rest (topic signals) or as thematically independent and learning-irrelevant (topic and irrelevance signals). Sample and Method: A total of 195 students read a text on the formation of coral reefs. Depending on the experimental condition, the text either included no seductive details (1), unsignalled seductive details (2), seductive details marked by topic signals, that is, placed in coloured boxes that were declared thematically independent (3) or seductive details marked by topic and irrelevance signals, that is, placed in coloured boxes that were declared thematically independent and irrelevant for the learning goal (4). Results: Results showed that topic signals mitigated and possibly even offset the detrimental effect of seductive details on transfer performance. Additional signalling of their irrelevance showed no significant effect. Furthermore, it was shown that including seductive details partially improves learning indirectly by increasing interest. Conclusions: The results suggest that the seductive detail effect cannot be explained solely by simple distraction. They provide a first indication that designers of (digital) textbooks who wish to increase students' interest by including digressions could prevent negative consequences by only signalling their thematic independence. However, this novel effect needs replication before reliable, practical recommendations can be made.
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