{"id":1440,"slug":"oh-sundar-interactivity-reduces-message-thoughts-too-much-cost","title":"COUNTER-finding: Oh & Sundar 2015 also showed modality interactivity REDUCED the number of message-related thoughts — absorption can come at the cost of deep elaboration; Sundar warns of \"too much interactivity\"","kind":"reference","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","smb-owner","candid-team"],"topics":["editorial-discipline","interactive-tool-mechanisms","active-learning-icap"],"reference_body":"**Counter-claim:** **Interactivity is NOT uniformly positive.** Oh & Sundar 2015 ([[oh-sundar-2015-modality-interactivity-cognitive-absorption-167-factorial]]) also found modality interactivity **REDUCED the number of message-related thoughts** (absorption can come at the cost of deep elaboration). Sundar's broader work warns of a **\"too much interactivity\" cost** — added interactive features can **overload and *reduce* processing/attitudes** for some users/tasks.\n\n**Source:** Oh & Sundar (2015), JoC (same paper); Sundar broader work.\n\n**Confidence:** Verified (limit).\n\n**Why this matters for Candid:** Most under-appreciated finding in the brief. Anchors [[rule-pair-interactivity-with-restraint]] — adding more interactive features can *hurt* if the user becomes absorbed in the interaction rather than processing the message. Discipline: add interactivity *where it lets the user do something they need to*; not as decoration.","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"oh-sundar-2015-modality-interactivity-cognitive-absorption-167-factorial","title":"Oh & Sundar (2015), Journal of Communication 65(2) — N=167 factorial experiment: modality interactivity (slider) produced more positive interface assessment, greater cognitive absorption, more favourable attitudes","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"}],"incoming":[{"slug":"research-brief-engagement-mechanisms-top-up-smb-june-2026","title":"Research notes (capture-layer top-up): why interactive online tools are psychologically engaging — six additional mechanisms (June 2026)","kind":"research-notes","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"caveats-engagement-mechanisms-top-up-mechanism-vs-business-outcome","title":"Caveats for the engagement-mechanisms top-up: strong independent evidence sits at the MECHANISM level not the business-outcome level; nearly every effect is moderated","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"rule-pair-interactivity-with-restraint","title":"R5 — Pair interactivity with restraint: add interactive features ONLY where they let the user do something they need to; \"too much interactivity\" reduces deep elaboration","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"}]},"created_at":"2026-06-20T19:24:15.984Z","updated_at":"2026-06-20T19:24:15.984Z"}