title: Distance-dependent processing of pictures and words.
abstract: A series of 8 experiments investigated the association between pictorial and verbal representations and the psychological distance of the referent objects from the observer. The results showed that people better process pictures that represent proximal objects and words that represent distal objects than pictures that represent distal objects and words that represent proximal objects. These results were obtained with various psychological distance dimensions (spatial, temporal, and social), different tasks (classification and categorization), and different measures (speed of processing and selective attention). The authors argue that differences in the processing of pictures and words emanate from the physical similarity of pictures, but not words, to the referents. Consequently, perceptual analysis is commonly applied to pictures but not to words. Pictures thus impart a sense of closeness to the referent objects and are preferably used to represent such objects, whereas words do not convey proximity and are preferably used to represent distal objects in space, time, and social perspective.
authors: Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA. amitelin@gmail.com
authors: Elinor
authors: E
authors: Amit
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Algom
authors: Yaacov
authors: Y
authors: Trope
mesh_terms: D001245:Association Learning; D001288:Attention; D003469:Culture; D003867:Depth Perception; D004215:Distance Perception; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D012929:Psychological Distance; D011930:Reaction Time; D011932:Reading; D012660:Semantics; D013998:Time Perception