Research

The role of screen size in viewer experiences of media content

Maria E. Grabe, Matthew Lombard, Robert D. Reich, Cheryl C. Bracken, and Theresa B. Ditton

• (1999). Visual Communication Quarterly, 6(2), 4-9.

The sizes of visual displays used by consumers today range from the 2-inch screen of a mini-TV to the 60-inch screen in a home theater to the 8-story tall screen in an IMAX theater, but little is known about how the size of a screen influences viewer responses. One possibility is that larger images are more likely to provoke direct responses to the content on the screen, in addition to indirect responses to the meanings contained in the images. A series of studies has revealed that the size of a television image can influence a variety of viewer responses, including attention, memory, evaluation, and behavior. This paper reviews research on screen size and viewer responses, identifies both practical and theoretical implications of the studies, and outlines key issues and potential directions for future research.

Last updated: August 12, 2004