Processing and recall differences among selective details.

Abstract

Three experiments examined processing and recall differences associated with 2 different types of seductive details (i.e., highly interesting, but unimportant,text segments). Experiment I provided evidence of 2 different types of seductive details: those that are less interesting when read in isolation (context dependent) and those that are equally interesting in context or isolation (context independent). Experiment 2 found that context-dependent seductive details took longer to read and were recalled better than main ideas. Context-independent seductive details were recalled as well as context-dependent seductive details, but did not require more reading time than main ideas. Experiment 3 found that including seductive details did not interfere with overall story recall or recall of main ideas. Suggestions are made for future research that would enhance a theory of seductive details.