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The effect of photos and information graphics on newspaper reading.

Holmqvist, Kenneth LU ; Holsanova, Jana LU orcid and Holmberg, Nils LU orcid (2005)
Abstract
We report the results of two newspaper reading experiments. We examine how readersÕ eye movements are affected by graphical elements such as photos and information graphics. Control variables in these experiments include size and content of photos, and spatial structure of information graphics. We hypothesized that large photo size and animate photo content would be associated with a local increase in textual processing and earlier pictorial attention. We also hypothesized that the presence of information graphics would generate a local increase in reading time, and that a sequential structure would facilitate decoding. Our results show that photos have a strong effect on newspaper scanning, whereas these elements have no effect on reading... (More)
We report the results of two newspaper reading experiments. We examine how readersÕ eye movements are affected by graphical elements such as photos and information graphics. Control variables in these experiments include size and content of photos, and spatial structure of information graphics. We hypothesized that large photo size and animate photo content would be associated with a local increase in textual processing and earlier pictorial attention. We also hypothesized that the presence of information graphics would generate a local increase in reading time, and that a sequential structure would facilitate decoding. Our results show that photos have a strong effect on newspaper scanning, whereas these elements have no effect on reading interest. This finding indicates that reading and scanning are separate processes. We also found that information graphics lead to an increase in reading time, and that a sequential layout facilitated decoding. Consequently, photos and information graphics have different effects on newspaper reading patterns. (Less)
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Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
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host publication
European Conference on Eye Movement Research, ECEM 13
publisher
Bern:Schweiz
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
In cooperation with Humanistlaboratoriet, Lund university.
id
e07c472e-3051-47fe-b9b6-c248f9ab4dd1 (old id 793270)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 11:42:37
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:13:40
@inproceedings{e07c472e-3051-47fe-b9b6-c248f9ab4dd1,
  abstract     = {{We report the results of two newspaper reading experiments. We examine how readersÕ eye movements are affected by graphical elements such as photos and information graphics. Control variables in these experiments include size and content of photos, and spatial structure of information graphics. We hypothesized that large photo size and animate photo content would be associated with a local increase in textual processing and earlier pictorial attention. We also hypothesized that the presence of information graphics would generate a local increase in reading time, and that a sequential structure would facilitate decoding. Our results show that photos have a strong effect on newspaper scanning, whereas these elements have no effect on reading interest. This finding indicates that reading and scanning are separate processes. We also found that information graphics lead to an increase in reading time, and that a sequential layout facilitated decoding. Consequently, photos and information graphics have different effects on newspaper reading patterns.}},
  author       = {{Holmqvist, Kenneth and Holsanova, Jana and Holmberg, Nils}},
  booktitle    = {{European Conference on Eye Movement Research, ECEM 13}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Bern:Schweiz}},
  title        = {{The effect of photos and information graphics on newspaper reading.}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}