The influence of timeline orientation and presentation mode on mental model construction and judgment formation
Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The present study was designed to determine whether the orientation of a \ntimeline used to describe a series of events, or the modality with which the timeline is \npresented, have any influence on mental model construction or judgment formation. \nNinety undergraduate students were instructed to assume the role of a juror. Then, \nparticipants were asked to learn about a medical malpractice case. Next, participants were \nshown a timeline in one of three orientations (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) in one of \ntwo modalities (static-sequential or animated). Results revealed no differences between \nor within groups on mental model construction. However, participants in animated \nconditions, regardless of timeline orientation, judged the hospital staff, in this case the \ndefendant, significantly higher on guilt rating scales than those in the static-sequential condition. In addition, participants in the animated condition judged some specific \nactions of the hospital staff as significantly more inappropriate than those in the staticsequential \ncondition. Thus, while presentation modality and timeline orientation may not \nhave a direct effect on mental model construction, it is possible that presentation modality \nhas an influence on the ease with which a juror can construct a story, or influence the \nperceptual salience of the presented timeline. Implications for the use of animation in the \nlitigation domain are discussed.
Author: David Sarmento
Language: English
Subfield: Law
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2211942408