A tale of two processes : the dynamic interplay between emotion and cognition when learning from text
Authors:   , Jheng Yi-Lun 
Published: January 2025

Learning from texts is a crucial skill in our society because a wide range of information is often conveyed through texts. For instance, citizens refer to an abundance of health information to navigate the challenges of a pandemic. This information is often conveyed via narratives or expository texts. While narrative persuasion has been documented in health communication, less research explores the impact of text genres on debunking health misinformation. Moreover, mixed-genre texts combining narrative and expository elements appear ecologically valid but remain underexplored. Additionally, most studies focus on cognitive aspects, overlooking how emotions influence the processing of information across genres. To address these gaps, the current dissertation has two main research objectives: first, to investigate the influence of text genres in conveying health information and debunking health-related misinformation; and second, to explore the interplay between emotional and cognitive processes when reading various text genres through a multi-method approach. This dissertation comprises four empirical studies. Study 1 investigates how different text genres affect emotions, risk perception, and knowledge of unknown health risks using both online (electrodermal activity) and offline (self-reports) measures. The findings suggest that narrative texts excel in raising awareness, whereas mixed-genre texts seem more effective in enhancing learning. Study 2 examines the interplay between emotion and cognitive processes when reading texts of various genres by tracking readers' eye movements. Results reveal that expository texts require more effortful processing, evidenced by increased fixation counts, revisits and longer reading time compared to narratives. Additionally, it is found that negative epistemic emotions are correlated to local processing, while positive emotions (such as enjoyment) are associated with global processing, especially in mixed-genre texts. Study 3 evaluates the effectiveness of corrective texts featuring different genres and harm messages in the context of vaccination and reproductive health. Our findings show that corrective texts generally succeed in reducing misconceptions. Moreover, corrective texts are observed to have varying impacts on (soon-to-be) mothers with different levels of vaccine skepticism. In Study 4, we successfully replicate the findings of the study by Trevors & Kendeou (2020), showing that refutation (vs. non-refutation) texts facilitate greater knowledge revision. More importantly, we develop a novel instrument called the DynamicEmo measure to assess the emotions experienced while reading each individual sentence. Results demonstrate that paragraphs presenting inconsistent information evoke activating emotions (such as curiosity) or suppress deactivating epistemic emotions (such as boredom). To sum up, the dissertation highlights the complex interplay between text genre, contextual factors, emotions, and cognitive processes in the processing of health-related (mis)information. By integrating diverse methodologies and considering the context and characteristics of target audiences, researchers and practitioners can develop more effective strategies for communicating health information and addressing public health challenges. In the end, implications into two key prongs—education and communication—illustrating this dissertation contributes to both fields are presented.