The influence of anthropomorphism and emotional valence indecorative pictures on learning with media

实验证实的多媒体学习环境的设计原则主要是基于认知负荷理论（CLT）和多媒体学习的认知理论（CTML）。这些理论强调工作记忆的局限性和学习者潜在的认知超载，这应该通过适当的教学媒体设计来防止。例如，它被假定为避免在学习材料中的装饰图片。装饰性图片的预期用途是提供美学吸引力，而不是呈现与学习相关的信息。最近的实证研究表明，装饰性图片在一定条件下提高而不是降低学习成绩。在拟议的项目中，拟人化和情感价的装饰图片的水平被认为是影响的核心因素。拟人化被定义为人类的特征，动机，意图和情感的精神转移到非人类的人或文物。相反，效价指的是所呈现的情感的内容或价值。先前关于这两个变量的研究结果表明，拟人化和情感效价密切相关。然而，这两个变量还没有被系统地研究方面的潜在的相互作用的影响和它们在装饰图片中的使用。可以假设，装饰图片中的拟人化程度越高，以及装饰图片诱导积极的效价，导致内在动机的更高状态，从而改善学习。在由两个实验室和两个现场实验组成的一系列实验（每个实验N = 160）中，将使用具有因素情感效价（中性与积极）和装饰性图片的拟人化程度（低与高）的2x2析因受试者间设计以及没有装饰性图片的额外对照组来分析这些假设。在第一步中，计划对80名参与者进行初步研究，以测试教学材料和学习问题以及所需的测试时间。随后，第一和第三个实验将在实验室条件下对大学生进行，包括生理测量，而第二和第四个实验将在学校计算机房进行。认知负荷，动机，情绪以及保留和迁移学习分数将被测量。第一和第二个实验的学习材料涉及作为生命重要组成部分的蛋白质的基本原理，而第三和第四个实验将涵盖生命的特征和定义。本研究结果对设计具有装饰性图画的学习材料的效果有重要的参考价值。

Experimentally confirmed design principles for multimedia learning environments are primarily based on the Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML). These theories emphasize the limitation of the working memory and a potential cognitive overload of learners, which should be prevented by an appropriate design of instructional media. For example, it is postulated to avoid decorative pictures in learning materials. The intended use of decorative pictures is to provide an aesthetic appeal rather than presenting learning-relevant information. Recent empirical studies have shown that decorative pictures improve rather than reduce learning performance under certain conditions. In the proposed project, the level of anthropomorphism and emotional valence of decorative pictures are considered as central factors of influence. Anthropomorphism is defined as the mental transfer of human characteristics, motivations, intentions, and emotions to nonhuman beings or artifacts. In contrast, valence refers to the content or the value of a presented emotion. Prior research results concerning these two variables indicate that anthropomorphism and emotional valence are closely intertwined. However, these two variables have not been systematically investigated in regard to potential interaction effects and their use in decorative pictures. It can be postulated that a higher degree of anthropomorphism in decorative pictures as well as decorative pictures inducing a positive valence lead to higher states of intrinsic motivation and thereby improving learning. In a series of experiments (N = 160 per experiment) consisting of two laboratory and two field experiments, a 2x2 factorial between-subject design with the factors emotional valence (neutral vs. positive) and the degree of anthropomorphism (low vs. high) of decorative pictures and an additional control group without decorative pictures will be used to analyze these postulations. In a first step, a preliminary study with 80 participants is planned to test the instructional materials and the learning questions as well as the required test duration. Subsequently, the first and the third experiment will be conducted with university students under laboratory conditions including physiological measurements, while the second and the fourth experiment take place in school computer rooms. Cognitive load, motivation, emotion as well as retention and transfer learning scores will be measured. The learning materials of the first and the second experiment deal with the fundamentals of proteins as important components of life, whereas the third and the fourth experiment will cover the characteristics and definitions of life. The results of these experiments should provide important insides into the effects of designing learning materials with decorative pictures.