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27 - The Emotional Design Principle in Multimedia Learning

from Part VI - Principles Based on Social and Affective Features of Multimedia Learning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 November 2021

Richard E. Mayer
Affiliation:
University of California, Santa Barbara
Logan Fiorella
Affiliation:
University of Georgia
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Summary

Emotional Design is the deliberate use of design elements of learning materials to induce an emotional state in the learner that leads to increased learning outcomes. This emotion induction should not add significantly to the cognitive demands placed on the learner, which is best achieved by using existing design elements rather than adding new elements. In this chapter, we summarize research on the effect of emotion-inducing features of a multimedia lesson on memory, cognition, and learning, provide empirical evidence for the emotional design principle, and discuss design features that have been shown to induce emotion. We will also differentiate emotional design from other emotion induction methods that increase processing demands on the learner by adding seductive details or that take place outside of the learning materials in the form of priming.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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