The closer, the better? Processing relations between picture elements in historical paintings

The present eye-tracking study investigated how audio explanations influence perception and the cognitive processing of historical paintings. Spatially close and distant pairs of picture elements and their semantic relations were named in an audio text either immediately after each other or with des...

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Main Authors: Manuela Glaser, Manuel Knoos, Stephan Schwan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-12-01
Series:Journal of Eye Movement Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://bop.unibe.ch/JEMR/article/view/6121
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author Manuela Glaser
Manuel Knoos
Stephan Schwan
author_facet Manuela Glaser
Manuel Knoos
Stephan Schwan
author_sort Manuela Glaser
collection DOAJ
description The present eye-tracking study investigated how audio explanations influence perception and the cognitive processing of historical paintings. Spatially close and distant pairs of picture elements and their semantic relations were named in an audio text either immediately after each other or with descriptions of other elements in between. It was assumed that the number of backward fixation counts on the first of the two mentioned related picture elements should be higher if they are spatially close rather than spatially distant. There should also be more backward fixation counts if the elements are named temporally close rather than temporally distant. Similar predictions were made for the retention of these picture elements and their relations. A 2x2x2 within-subject design (n=36) with spatial distance (close vs. distant), temporal distance (close vs. distant) and painting (Leutze vs. West) revealed more background fixation counts for spatially close compared to spatially distant elements but just for the Leutze painting. Accordingly, the relations between the spatially close pairs were retained better than between the spatially distant pairs in the Leutze painting but vice versa for the West painting. The results are discussed with regard to the spatial contiguity principle of multimedia learning and research on text coherence.
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spelling doaj-art-30f301db5b744aed964eda912043638f2025-08-20T02:38:55ZengMDPI AGJournal of Eye Movement Research1995-86922020-12-0113210.16910/jemr.13.2.11The closer, the better? Processing relations between picture elements in historical paintingsManuela Glaser0Manuel Knoos1Stephan Schwan2Leibniz Institut für WissensmedienLeibniz Institut für WissensmedienLeibniz Institut für WissensmedienThe present eye-tracking study investigated how audio explanations influence perception and the cognitive processing of historical paintings. Spatially close and distant pairs of picture elements and their semantic relations were named in an audio text either immediately after each other or with descriptions of other elements in between. It was assumed that the number of backward fixation counts on the first of the two mentioned related picture elements should be higher if they are spatially close rather than spatially distant. There should also be more backward fixation counts if the elements are named temporally close rather than temporally distant. Similar predictions were made for the retention of these picture elements and their relations. A 2x2x2 within-subject design (n=36) with spatial distance (close vs. distant), temporal distance (close vs. distant) and painting (Leutze vs. West) revealed more background fixation counts for spatially close compared to spatially distant elements but just for the Leutze painting. Accordingly, the relations between the spatially close pairs were retained better than between the spatially distant pairs in the Leutze painting but vice versa for the West painting. The results are discussed with regard to the spatial contiguity principle of multimedia learning and research on text coherence.https://bop.unibe.ch/JEMR/article/view/6121art perceptioneye trackingregion of interestattentionmemoryhistorical paintings
spellingShingle Manuela Glaser
Manuel Knoos
Stephan Schwan
The closer, the better? Processing relations between picture elements in historical paintings
Journal of Eye Movement Research
art perception
eye tracking
region of interest
attention
memory
historical paintings
title The closer, the better? Processing relations between picture elements in historical paintings
title_full The closer, the better? Processing relations between picture elements in historical paintings
title_fullStr The closer, the better? Processing relations between picture elements in historical paintings
title_full_unstemmed The closer, the better? Processing relations between picture elements in historical paintings
title_short The closer, the better? Processing relations between picture elements in historical paintings
title_sort closer the better processing relations between picture elements in historical paintings
topic art perception
eye tracking
region of interest
attention
memory
historical paintings
url https://bop.unibe.ch/JEMR/article/view/6121
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