Do Focused Self-Explanation Prompts Overcome Seductive Details? A Multimedia Study

Research on the seductive details effect on reading expository texts in multimedia learning environments has grown over the past few decades. However, less is known when seductive details are encountered in learning through worked-examples to solve problems. Thus, it is necessary to examine the seductive details effect when solving problems in a worked-example-based multimedia learning environment and the effect of focused self-explanation on seductive details. In the present experiment, the participants (N = 80) were randomly assigned to one of four different conditions and learned a multimedia lesson about electrical circuits on the computer: (a) seductive details, (b) seductive details and self-explanation prompts, (c) no seductive details, or (d) no seductive details but self-explanation prompts. Results showed that seductive details hindered learning because of increased extraneous cognitive load, and that focused self-explanation overcame the negative deleterious effect of seductive details through decreased extraneous cognitive load, and therefore improved learning. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed and future research directions are presented.