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The present article examines how suitable expository films are for learning. This question was motivated by the assumption that films are processed in a superficial manner. However, previous research has been dominated by the analyses of outcome measures and has never taken a look at online measures so that no clear conclusions have been drawn. Experiment 1 analyzed online local causal bridging inferences that are crucial for the understanding of complex scientific matters. Using a naming paradigm, it could be demonstrated that local causal bridging inferences are generated during film reception. This holds true for film viewers and audiotape listeners. Experiment 2 analyzed whether participants were able to integrate the inferred information into a coherent mental model. We found that for at least one item set, both film viewers and audiotape listeners integrated implicit information into a mental model. To further clarify the role of the pictorial information in films for the comprehension process, Experiment 3 analyzed the extent to which pictorial information can compensate for coherence breaks due to missing verbal information in the auditory channel. We found that, on a local level, pictorial information can compensate for missing verbal information, but not on a global level.
