How do viewers respond to television in terms of the relative impact of video and audio information? Does the visual drive the information processing as most would probably surmise, or does the audio track continue to be equally as important in getting and maintaining attention? How important is the visual dimension is in getting and maintaining attention.
In this exploratory study, twelve viewing behavior studies of 45 minutes each were conducted using moment-by-moment analysis to determine the role of the visual in getting and maintaining attention. The study used participant observation in a naturalistic at-home setting. Its findings did tend to confirm notions that the visual elements are the most important factors driving television information processing.
When television viewing is time-sharing with other activities, both the visual and the audio are used at different times and in different ways to maintain contact with the programming. Two of the three factors mentioned by the viewers as important in maintaining their attention were visual. In 58 percent of the attention shifts, a visual cue was operating. When attention does shift away, it is frequently driven by audio and content cues, however, as the viewer moves into search and selection, the scanning process seems to operate on visual recognition and visual interest. |