We investigated the processes that make seductive details (i.e., interesting but irrelevant pictures and text passages in learning materials) harmful for learning scientific concepts and principles. In our experiment, students (N = 113) learned without seductive details (control condition) or with seductive details, and afterwards worked on a knowledge test. They then retrospectively verbalized their thoughts during learning while watching a replay of their eye-movements during the learning session (cued retrospective reporting). Our findings showed that seductive details hampered the transfer of knowledge in students with lower final school grades (d = −0.60). The verbal reports from the seductive details group, which were rated according to three detrimental cognitive processes, indicated that several students constructed mental models around the seductive details (i.e., diversion). This diversion led to worse recall of the relevant learning contents. The detrimental effects of seductive details therefore seem to be mainly caused by diversion.

中文翻译：

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诱人的细节何时以及如何损害学习。一项使用线索式回顾性报告的研究

我们调查了使诱人的细节（即学习材料中有趣但不相关的图片和文本段落）对学习科学概念和原理有害的过程。在我们的实验中，学生 ( N = 113) 在没有诱人细节（控制条件）或诱人细节的情况下学习，然后进行知识测试。然后，他们在学习过程中回顾性地用语言表达他们的想法，同时观看他们在学习过程中眼动的回放（提示回顾性报告）。我们的研究结果表明，诱人的细节阻碍了最终成绩较低的学生的知识转移（d= -0.60）。诱人细节组的口头报告，根据三个有害的认知过程进行评分，表明一些学生围绕诱人的细节（即转移）构建了心理模型。这种转移导致对相关学习内容的回忆更差。因此，诱人细节的不利影响似乎主要是由转移注意力引起的。