The realism paradox: Realism can act as a form of signaling despite being associated with cognitive load

Abstract

Realistic graphics have been found to result in a worse learning performance than schematic visualizations. These negative results of realism are usually explained by assuming that realistic visualizations induce more cognitive load. Therefore, realism has been linked to the facet of extraneous cognitive load in the model of cognitive load theory. However, recent results indicate that realism may be used to good advantage when it is utilized only in selected parts of visualizations. We tested the hypothesis that realism can be used as a form of signaling. In an experimental study (N = 50), we presented each participant with one realistic and one schematic anatomical visualization. As predicted, retention performance was highest for the realistic components. Furthermore, we found that extraneous load ratings were overall higher when a particularly detailed visualization was shown to participants (although no main effect of realism was found). Our results can be explained in terms of the disfluency effect, which holds that more visually demanding learning materials can in some cases enhance learning. An important implication of the study is that educators may use the degree of realism to focus learners' attention.

Realism as a retrieval cue: Evidence for concreteness‐specific effects of realistic, schematic, and verbal components of visualizations on learning and testing

“…This approach follows previous research in the field of learning (e.g., Prisacari & Danielson, 2017). On the next page, participants were asked to indicate whether they were strongly distracted during the learning phase and whether there had been major technical issues during the learning phase (taken from Skulmowski & Rey, 2020b). The laboratory experiment used SoSci Survey (Version 3.2.03‐i; Leiner, 2019; https://www.soscisurvey.de).…”

“…This combination of realistic and schematic content improved the learning performance of routes compared to fully realistic and fully schematic virtual displays of the routes in question (Lokka & Çöltekin, 2019). Building on this result, Skulmowski and Rey (2020b) found that in a combined presentation of realistic and schematic visualizations, retention performance was higher for the realistic portions of the learning materials. As presented above, earlier studies in the field of anatomy learning suggest benefits of learning with more realistic and detailed visualizations for specific tests (e.g., Dwyer Jr, 1967).…”

“…After considering perspectives favoring a more restrained use of realism, we will now turn to approaches that imply a positive influence of realism during learning and testing. Realism can guide learners' attention by highlighting information (Lokka & Çöltekin, 2019; Skulmowski & Rey, 2020b). Lokka and Çöltekin (2019) demonstrated that a navigational task can be made easier by presenting virtual streets in which only important buildings are rendered realistically, with the majority of irrelevant houses only shown as blocks without textures.…”

“…Research investigating the role of realism in learning usually compares at least two representations differing in their level of visual fidelity to a real‐world object (e.g., Dwyer Jr, 1967; Scheiter, Gerjets, Huk, Imhof, & Kammerer, 2009; Skulmowski & Rey, 2020b; for an overview on realism definitions, see Anglin, Vaez, & Cunningham, 2004). The often implicit basis of these comparisons is the notion of a realism continuum (Dwyer Jr, 1967).…”

“…In Experiment 1, the retention tests consist of cued‐recall tests that ask learners to assign labels to an image. Based on previous research (e.g., Dwyer Jr, 1967; Skulmowski & Rey, 2020b), this type of test should result in a particularly strong benefit of realistic visualizations when learners are tested using similarly realistic retention tests.…”