The Effect of Implied Motion on the Recall of Interactive Pictures

Abstract

The literature has customarily defined interaction between pictured objects in two ways. First, interaction has been defined as simply a conjoined union or physical touching of objects within a given picture scene. The second definition portrays interaction as predetermined action or implied motion between the pictured objects. Researchers typically assume these two modes of defining interaction as essentially equivalent. Generally stated, the purpose of this study was to uncover the effect that implied motion has on the processing of visual information. A factorial design was conducted with dependent variables being imageability, nameability, and recall of pictured objects. Independent variables were implied motion and viewing time. Results showed that implied motion pictures presented at a short viewing time were more nameable and better recalled than stationary pictures presented at a short viewing time. But when subjects were given more time to view visual information, implied motion and stationary pictures were equally nameable and recalled. The results indicate that when visual information is presented for a sufficiently short time, implied motion heightens the availability of a verbal code.