How Visual Displays Affect Cognitive Processing

Matthew T. McCrudden; David N. Rapp

doi:10.1007/s10648-015-9342-2

How Visual Displays Affect Cognitive Processing

Matthew T. McCrudden^*, David N. Rapp

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Education and Social Policy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

We regularly consult and construct visual displays that are intended to communicate important information. The power of these displays and the instructional messages we attempt to comprehend when using them emerge from the information included in the display and by their spatial arrangement. In this article, we identify common types of visual displays and the kinds of inferences that each type of display is designed to promote. In particular, we outline different types of semantic and pictorial displays. Then, we describe four main ways in which visual displays can affect cognitive processing including selection, organization, integration, and processing efficiency and how semantic and pictorial displays support these types of processing. We conclude with seven recommendations for designing visual displays and possible directions for future research.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	623-639
Number of pages	17
Journal	Educational Psychology Review
Volume	29
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9342-2
State	Published - Sep 1 2017

Keywords

Cognitive processing
Graphic organizer
Multimedia learning
Visual display
Visual representation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Developmental and Educational Psychology

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10.1007/s10648-015-9342-2

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How Visual Displays Affect Cognitive Processing

Abstract

Keywords

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