When Backgrounds Take Center Stage: Realistic Visualizations Can Be Detrimental for Learning if They Contain Irrelevant Backgrounds
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| Title: | When Backgrounds Take Center Stage: Realistic Visualizations Can Be Detrimental for Learning if They Contain Irrelevant Backgrounds |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Marcel Alexander Niesik (ORCID |
| Source: | Applied Cognitive Psychology. 2026 40(3). |
| 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: | 12 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Realism, Visualization, Learning Processes, Cognitive Processes, Difficulty Level, Interference (Learning), Retention (Psychology), Visual Stimuli, Relevance (Education) |
| DOI: | 10.1002/acp.70201 |
| ISSN: | 0888-4080 1099-0720 |
| Abstract: | Visualizations used for learning can be designed in a multitude of ways. Many design factors have been shown to introduce cognitive load, thereby jeopardizing learning. Perceptual richness induced by highly detailed visualizations and redundant content both have the potential to distract learners. We combined these factors to investigate whether the addition of an irrelevant background impedes learning with a visualization particularly strongly if the visualization is detailed rather than schematic. While Experiment 1 (n = 82) did not result in a significant effect, Experiment 2 (n = 125) with a longer study time confirmed our hypothesis. We found an interaction effect in which a background combined with a high level of detail lowered retention, while the background raised retention in the schematic version. Our results provide evidence that learning is not facilitated by simply removing elements deemed irrelevant, but by providing enough material to engage learners without overwhelming them. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 20260101 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1509074 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Visualizations used for learning can be designed in a multitude of ways. Many design factors have been shown to introduce cognitive load, thereby jeopardizing learning. Perceptual richness induced by highly detailed visualizations and redundant content both have the potential to distract learners. We combined these factors to investigate whether the addition of an irrelevant background impedes learning with a visualization particularly strongly if the visualization is detailed rather than schematic. While Experiment 1 (n = 82) did not result in a significant effect, Experiment 2 (n = 125) with a longer study time confirmed our hypothesis. We found an interaction effect in which a background combined with a high level of detail lowered retention, while the background raised retention in the schematic version. Our results provide evidence that learning is not facilitated by simply removing elements deemed irrelevant, but by providing enough material to engage learners without overwhelming them. |
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| ISSN: | 0888-4080 1099-0720 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/acp.70201 |
