Visual Complexity Online and Its Impact on Children's Aesthetic Preferences and Learning Motivation

Abstract

In the past, when most computers were workplace tools, researchers in the field of HCI predominately focused on practical aspects of computing, such as usability and efficiency. Now, with more and more computer technologies entering the home and other areas of life, such as schooling and informal education, an increasing number of researchers are exploring subjective issues related to computing. This research explored the relationship between visual complexity, aesthetics and learning motivation with respect to children's learning websites. It took the form of an experiment involving children aged 10 to 11 years-old viewing homepages designed for them. In the experiment, the children were divided into three groups. One group was shown homepages of a low level of visual complexity, another group was shown homepages of a medium level of visual complexity and another group was shown homepages of a high level of visual complexity. At the end of the experiment, the children were asked questions about the homepages; the questions were on the topics of aesthetics and motivation. In addition to exploring the relationship between visual complexity, aesthetics and learning motivation, the research tested Berylne's theory of preference: a theory that purports that people prefer medium level stimuli to high or low-level stimuli. The results of the experiment showed that children preferred aesthetics of a medium level of visual complexity, Berlyne's theory was thus supported. The results also revealed that aesthetic preference and learning motivation were correlated. These findings have implications for designers of children's learning websites as they suggest that by manipulating visual complexity, a user's viewing pleasure can be enhanced or depreciated.