An Empirical Study on the Effects of Iconotext on Readers’ Interest and Immersion in Picture Books : Focusing on a Multi-Group SEM Analysis of Adult and Elementary School Readers

This study examines the effect of iconotext-the integration of text and images in picture books- on readers’ interest and immersion. The study compared responses from adult readers and elementary school students using structural equation modeling(SEM) analysis with multi-group analysis. The results showed that three of five iconotext characteristics positively impacted interest and immersion. Notably, the influence of the complementary characteristics on interest, as well as the transition from interest to immersion, differed significantly between adults and children. These findings can inform the design of picture books and iconotext strategies tailored to different age groups.