Processing of news photos
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The third perceptual property scale measured the perceived complexity of the
photographs. The complexity scale mean was 2.9, on a seven-point scale, with higher values
meaning greater perceived complexity. The regression revealed a significant, though negative
effect (R
2
change = .41; p < .001) for both the visualizer (Beta = -.32; p < .023) and verbalizer
scales (Beta = -.59; p < .001). Higher levels of each cognitive style were associated with the
photos being viewed as less complex/more organized. The photos were seen with greater unity.
Last, the effects of visualizing and verbalizing cognitive styles on perceived typicality of
the images was examined. The typicality scale mean was 3.7, on a seven-point scale, with higher
values meaning greater perceived typicality. Like the results for the activity scale, the results for
the typicality scale analysis reveal no significant relationships between the cognitive styles and
perceptions.
Discussion
The first goal of the study was to test a model that proposed that greater visualizing levels
lead to greater attention to visual material, which in turn lead to improved memory. While the
results suggest that only part of this model is valid, we now know that attention does not seem to
be the underlying process between visualizing and recall. Though people who spent more time
viewing the photos remembered more of them, and visual learners remembered more of the
photos than those who were not visual learners, there was no relationship between visual
learning and attention to the photos. So, attention does not seem to be the mechanism for better
recall for visual learners. Perhaps people who are visual learners are better at organizing visual
information in long-term memory. Previous research did not examine the processing mechanism
for visualizing. These results suggest that learning from news photographs can be due to
Convention