The selective use of sound effects and visual inserts for children's television story comprehension

Abstract Sound effects were inserted in a television program in order to guide children's selective attention to, and comprehension of, significant story content. Sixty-four children, equally distributed by sex and by kindergarten and fifth grades, were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions that crossed two levels of sound effects with two levels of visual inserts. One-s sound effects either preceded or did not precede three key program transitions. The visual insert conditions provided additional information at these program points whereas the no visual insert conditions did not. Visual attention was videotaped during each child's individual viewing session. After viewing, each child answered a 22-item multiple-choice recognition test of inferential, central, and incedental content. As predicted, sound effects increased selective attention and inferential recognition, particularly for the youngest children who have the greatest difficulty understanding televised stories.

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