The medium can influence the message: Print‐based versus digital reading influences how people process different types of written information

Abstract

While electronic reading devices are extremely popular, research is equivocal regarding their benefits for outcomes such as reader comprehension. Integrating literatures on reading medium comparisons and matching effects in persuasion, this research tested whether comprehension is maximized when the content of the material (e.g., whether it is traditional versus modern) matches the medium (e.g., reading from a traditional book versus digital e-reader). In Study 1, participants read a traditional-or modern-themed short story from either a book or an e-reader. Story comprehension was greater when participants read from the printed medium compared to the e-reader, an effect that was marginally moderated by story content, consistent with a matching effect. In Study 2, participants read a persuasive message that emphasized either a traditional versus modern solution to improving health in either a magazine format or on an iPad. Message comprehension was marginally greater among participants who read their message in a printed format. Participants' interest in weight loss showed evidence of a matching effect-participants were more interested in losing weight when a modern solution to obesity article was presented on an iPad compared to a printed format. The results are applied to the study of reading and attitude change.

Books online: e-books, e-paper, and e-readers

“…Dedicated e-readers also offer their users the potential for a more distraction-free experience than reading on their tablet and advertise a better reading experience. While there are plausible explanations for this, the research results indicate that there are real differences in the reading experience depending on the format, and these results are not as robust or definitive as is often claimed (Canadian Paediatric Society, Digital Health Task Force, Ottawa, Ontario, 2017; Haddock et al , 2019; Mangen et al , 2019; Reich et al , 2016).…”

Experiencing literature on the e‐reader: the effects of reading narrative texts on screen

“…Mangen et al (2019) and Lange (2019) did not find an effect of the reading medium on transportation, but the results found by Haddock et al (2019) were inconclusive. They presumed that the read narrative moderates the effect of the reading medium.…”

“…The vast majority of studies addressing differential outcomes of reading in print versus reading on screen has focused on informational texts such as school books or expository texts and on the effects on a reader's understanding of such texts. Apart from a number of notable exceptions (e.g., Guarisco, Brooks, & Freeman, 2017; Haddock, Foad, Saul, Brown, & Thompson, 2019; Mangen, Olivier, & Velay, 2019), the literature so far has neglected (1) the reception of narrative and fictional e‐books for leisure reading and (2) the potential effects of digital reading on a broader conception of the reading experience. While informational texts may be primarily concerned with generating understanding of the information presented, we argue that reading literature during leisure time is about more than just text comprehension.…”

Literatur am Bildschirm

“…Die meisten Studien entdeckten keinen Unterschied im allgemeinen Textverständnis zwischen dem Lesen auf Papier oder dem Lesen auf einem E‐Reader (Cavalli, Colé, Brèthes, Lefevre, Lascombe & Velay, 2019, 253; 7 Mangen, Olivier & Velay, 2019, 5ff; 8 Margolin et al, 2013, 5ff; Moyer, 2011, 107ff 9 ). Bei Haddock, Foad, Saul, Brown und Thompson (2020, 449) gab es ebenfalls keinen Unterschied zwischen dem analogen und digitalen Lesen, wenn die Testpersonen eine Kurzgeschichte von Ray Bradbury ( The Veldt ) gelesen haben. Bei den Testpersonen jedoch, die eine Kurzgeschichte von Anton Tschechow ( At Home) gelesen hatten, war das Verständnis besser, wenn sie die gedruckte Version gelesen hatten (S. 450).…”

“…Weder beim Lesen einer Mysterystory (Mangen et al, 2019, 5) oder einer Science‐Fiction‐Kurzgeschichte (Haddock et al, 2020, 449) auf einem E‐Reader, noch beim Lesen einer interaktiven Horrorkurzgeschichte und einer interaktiven Krimikurzgeschichte auf einem Tablet (Lange, 2019, 177ff) 25 zeigten sich Unterschiede in der Immersion im Vergleich zum Lesen der Printversion. Allerdings war die Immersion beim Lesen einer Erzählung aus dem neunzehnten Jahrhundert in der Printversion größer als beim Lesen auf einem E‐Reader (Haddock et al, 2020, 449). Die individuelle Erfahrung mit den digitalen Lesemedien oder das Gender hatten keinen Einfluss auf den Zusammenhang zwischen Immersion und Lesemedium (Lange, 2019, 182).…”