Emotional Design of PowerPoint Slides: Effect on Self-Perceptions of Mood, Cognitive Load and Memory Retention in Three Anatomy Lectures

In contrast to previous research on emotional design, this study investigates its effectiveness in a university lecture setting. We examine the impact of the emotional design of PowerPoint slides on self-reported mood, cognitive load and memory retention among medical and dental students across three separate anatomy lectures at a Malaysian university. The control group (first-year medical students) viewed emotionally neutral slides, whereas the experiment group (first-year dental students) viewed emotionally positive slides. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess the participants’ changes in mood (pre- vs post-lecture) and cognitive load (intrinsic, extraneous, and germane loads). Additionally, a memory retention test was conducted post-lecture. Participants’ self-reported positive mood due to emotional design increased to a greater degree when compared to neutral slides. However, no significant differences were found among the three types of cognitive load. Interestingly, emotional design negatively impacted memory retention in one of the three lectures. These results are discussed within the context of the ongoing debate between the “emotionas-facilitator” and “emotion-as-suppressor” models of learning. The implications of our efforts to generate external validity via a quasi-experimental, exploratory field study are discussed, specifically regarding the generalisability of the results, the presence of external factors and other limitations, and the pedagogy of anatomy.