Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Effect of Computer Displays on Comprehension, Memory and Decision-Making in Court

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This research presents a systematic, theoretical, and applied examination of factors that should be considered when determining whether a computer-generated animation is more prejudicial or probative than other traditional forms of presentation media (e.g., oral testimony and diagrams). Although some experimenters have specifically examined the effects of computer displays on subjects' decision-making, only a few have used theory to inform their research, and no scientist to date has examined differences between all three channels of communication (computer display, still visual graphics, and an oral presentation without visual aids) in a single study. The main purpose of this research is to determine the theoretical rigor of Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). Two key hypotheses underlying this model are the elaboration-enhancement hypothesis and the elaboration-disruption hypothesis. Specifically, the elaboration-enhancement hypothesis would provide information regarding the possible probative effects of a computer display while support for the elaboration-disruption hypothesis would provide information regarding the possible prejudicial effects of such a presentation mode. The proposed experimental design will serve as a critical test of both these hypotheses in that it will test whether or not a slip-and-fall computer display enhances or disrupts elaboration of the message's arguments. Additionally, the effects of mode of presentation on one's memory, comprehension, and decision-making will be assessed. Thus, this project appeals not only to social science, communication, and education scholars, but also has broader implications for the applied communities of law, science, and technology.