Multimedia Comprehension

Multimedia messages use combinations of texts pictures maps and graphs as tools for communication. This book provides a synthesis of theory and research about how people comprehend multimedia. It adopts the perspectives of cognitive psychology semiotics anthropology linguistics education and art. Its central idea is that information displays can be categorized into two different but complementary forms of representations which service different purposes in human cognition and communication. Specific interaction between these representations enhances comprehension thinking and problem solving as illustrated by numerous examples. Multimedia Comprehension is written for a broad audience with no special prior knowledge. It is of interest to everyone trying to understand how people comprehend multimedia from scholars and students in psychology communication and education to web- and interface-designers and instructors.