Question

Use the following information to answer. The paper "Turning to Learn: Screen Orientation and Reasoning from Small Devices" (Computers in Human Behavior [2011]: \(793-797\) ) describes a study that investigated whether cell phones with small screens are useful for gathering information. The researchers wondered if the ability to reason using information read on a small screen was affected by the screen orientation. The researchers assigned 33 undergraduate students who were enrolled in a psychology course at a large public university to one of two groups at random. One group read material that was displayed on a small screen in portrait orientation, and the other group read material on the same size screen but turned to display the information in landscape orientation (see the following figure). Did the study use random assignment to experimental groups?

Short answer

Yes, the study used random assignment to experimental groups.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Concept

Random assignment is a fundamental part of experimental design in research studies. It entails dividing study participants into different groups randomly, thus eliminating any potential prejudice or bias during group formation. This helps to ensure that the groups are comparable, and any difference in outcomes can be attributed to the variable being tested instead of pre-existing differences among participants.

Review the Study Methodology

According to the provided details, researchers assigned 33 undergraduate students, who were enrolled in a psychology course at a large public university, to one of two groups at random. Within these groups, one read material displayed on a small screen in portrait orientation, the other group read material on a similarly small screen but in landscape orientation.

Determine if Random Assignment was used

From the provided description of the study methodology, it clearly states that the researchers 'assigned 33 undergraduate students to one of two groups at random.' This indicates that random assignment was indeed used in the study, as the students were allocated to groups based on chance rather than any specific characteristics.

Key concepts

Experimental Design

Experimental design is the backbone of any research study aiming to explore cause-and-effect relationships. At its core, this method is used to ensure that the researcher can indeed attribute observed effects within the study to the variable they're manipulating, rather than to some other, uncontrolled factor.

An exemplary experimental design integrates the random assignment of participants to different conditions or groups. This means every participant has an equal chance of being allocated to any given group. By doing this, researchers aim to create groups that are equivalent at the start of the experiment on all relevant factors except the one under investigation. This randomness acts as a safeguard against systemic biases that could twist the study's results.

In the case of the study on screen orientation and reasoning, random assignment was employed, consisting of randomly dividing the participants into groups with different screen orientations. This is crucial in trying to draw valid conclusions about the impact, if any, of screen orientation on reasoning ability, as it helps to isolate this single variable (screen orientation) from other potential confounding variables such as prior knowledge, age, or learning style.

Screen Orientation

Screen orientation — whether portrait or landscape — can significantly impact how we interact with and absorb information from devices with small screens. Portrait orientation refers to the vertical alignment of the content, which is commonly used for reading text, as it tends to fit the natural line of sight and hand ergonomics of scrolling. On the other hand, landscape orientation offers a wider horizontal view, which is often preferred for video content and can showcase more content side-by-side.

The difference in screen orientations might seem trivial at first glance, but when considering small devices, such as cell phones, it becomes particularly pertinent. The orientation can affect readability, the amount of information displayed at one time, and even the physical comfort of holding the device. Hence, researchers in the cited study 'Turning to Learn' focused on this variable to determine if it plays a role in reasoning outcomes. They supplied content in both orientations to see if there's a measurable effect on the user's ability to reason with the given information, underlining the importance of considering such factors in the realm of user experience (UX) design and ergonomics.

Reasoning from Small Devices

Reasoning from small devices is an evolving field of study, particularly relevant considering the ubiquity of smartphones and other portable digital devices. A key question revolves around whether the cognitive processes involved in reasoning are affected by the physical and technological constraints of these devices. When screens are small, the amount of visible information is limited, potentially necessitating more scrolling or switching between screens, which could interrupt thought processes or place additional memory demands on the user.

Understanding the cognitive impact of device size is not just an academic question; it has practical implications for the design of mobile-friendly content, apps, and education materials. If screen orientation or size impacts reasoning, as the study in question sets out to investigate, designers and educators would need to be mindful of how they present information on such devices. This emphasizes the importance of usability and accessibility in technology design – choices as simple as screen orientation could influence the effectiveness of technology-supported learning and information processing.