The Mnemonic Benefit of Pictures in Text: Selective Enrichment for Differentially Skilled Readers

Our research has focused on the extent to which pictures can enhance recall of textually presented information, particularly item-specific (detailed) information and relational information. Two sets of pictures were constructed, one set depicting individual details conveyed in the text and one depicting the relationship among several propositions. Initial findings showed that information targeted by a particular picture set was better recalled when the pictures were included in the text. Several theoretical orientations suggest, however, that this general pattern might vary depending on reading ability. A second experiment confirmed that the just-mentioned pattern emerged only for high- and average-reading ability readers. Low-ability readers benefited very selectively from pictures, with the benefit restricted to recall of illustrated details. These results are interpreted from the view that pictures enable the extraction and retention of information that readers under ordinary circumstances do not encode effectively, providing the readers have the requisite comprehension abilities to begin with.