When words collide online: How writing style and video intensity affect cognitive processing of online news

Kevin Wise, Paul Bolls, Justin Myers, Miglena Sternadori

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This experiment explored how the writing style of online news, defined as inverted pyramid versus narrative, affects the cognitive processing of accompanying video clips. Forty seven participants read 4 online news stories and viewed the accompanying video clips. Results suggested that reading inverted pyramid stories may require allocation of more cognitive resources to encoding a related video clip. Recognition for story details was more accurate for stories in narrative than inverted pyramid style. Results are discussed in terms of a distinction between cognitive processing involved in "getting there" versus "being there" during exposure to online news.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)532-546
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media
Volume53
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2009
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Communication

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