How do different cognitive styles Learners deal with the bullet screen interruption in instructional videos? An eye-tracking study

• Published in: BMC Psychology Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 961 - 13
• Main Authors: Mu, Defang, Zou, Mingxuan, Chen, Yinghe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 26.08.2025; BioMed Central Ltd; BMC
• Subjects: Active learning; Adult; Attention - physiology; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Bullet screen; Clinical Psychology; Cognition; Cognition - physiology; Cognitive load; Cognitive Psychology; Cognitive style; Education; Educational objectives; Eye; Eye movements; Eye Movements - physiology; Eye-Tracking Technology; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Instructional design; Learning - physiology; Male; Memory; Movements; Online education; Psychology; Psychology Research; Retention; Technology application; Telematics; Testing; Variables; Video learning; Video tapes in education; Young Adult; China; Cognitive style; Video learning; Eye movements; Bullet screen
• ISSN: 2050-7283; 2050-7283
• DOI: 10.1186/s40359-025-03182-1

Dense bullet screens at the top of the video screen may be disruptive. With the help of eye-tracking technology, this study explores the effects of bullet screen interruptions on instructional video learning from the perspective of different cognitive styles. Participants ( N  = 84) were required to complete a post-test after watching the video course “Human Body Temperature and Regulation” under a 2 (bullet-screen: bullet-screen, bullet-screen-free) × 2 (cognitive style: field-independent, field-dependent) between-subjects design. The study found that the bullet screen distracted both field-independent and field-dependent cognitive style learners’ attention and increased the cognitive load of field-dependent learners. As a result, the learning outcomes of field-dependent learners with bullet screens was significantly lower than those of learners with bullet-screen-free condition, while field-independent learners did not exhibit any significant differences. These results revealed that bullet screen has a negative impact on instructional video learning outcomes for field-dependent learners, causing cognitive overload and reducing their learning outcomes, but has no impact for field-independent learners. Compared to field-dependent learners, field-independent learners can better cope with the interruption of bullet-screens in instructional videos.