Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Split-Screen Versus Single-Screen Formats In Televised Debates: Does Access To An Opponent's Nonverbal Behaviors Affect Viewers' Perceptions Of A Speaker's Credibility?, John S. Seiter, Jeffery A. Abraham, Brent T. Nakagama

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

Compared to televised debates using a single-screen format, those using a split screen, ie., those showing both debaters simultaneously, provide viewers greater access to the nonverbal reactions of a debater's opponent. This study examined the effect of such nonverbal reactions on viewer's perceptions of a speaker's credibility. Students watched one of four versions of a televised debate. One version used a single-screen format, showing only the speaker, while the other three verions used a split-screen format in which the speaker's opponent displayed constant, occasional, or no nonverbal disagreement with the speaker. After watching the videos, students rated the speaker's credibility. …