HN2150 Discussion Post 3, Fall 2019

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Seductive details are extra tidbits of interesting or entertaining information not directly related to the training objective but are used to enhance the learning experience. This can include anecdotes, jokes, cartoons, or another engaging medium. Think of seductive details as the pizzazz that can be incorporated into a training program in order to ignite ideas, facilitate friendly interaction, or fostering motivation.  
Studies show that seductive details are most useful when the learner has high pre-training knowledge. In other words, they have moderate proficiency in what they are about to learn and are not total newcomers.  For instance, in my training program I am going to be training full-time hotel restaurant service staff. These employees have varying degrees of experience and knowledge in the service industry, and not one of them is a bona fide newcomer without any experience or frame of reference. Seductive details would work well, in moderation, in my training package, to add colour and imagination to a relatively straight-forward training program.
Seductive details should be avoided when the trainees have low pre-training knowledge, such as entry-level hires with little to no experience, or when training seasoned employees in the use of new technology that is unfamiliar to them. In those instances, the trainee’s cognitive capacities will be focused on the cognitive and motor processes of the new skills they are learning, and seductive details are not needed and can interfere with their processing abilities. This is called the seductive details effect, which occurs when these details distort or impair learning and retention.
Two examples of seductive details I may include in my training package are:
-        An image of a contentious server-customer interaction, where the customer is visually upset and pointing their finger accusingly at the server.
-        Background music during the role play activity to enhance the effect of being “in service” as most restaurants play music for guests while the servers are busy serving.
The key to utilizing seductive details effectively is to use them sparingly, where appropriate to enhance learning and intrinsic motivation, and only when you are certain that the trainees’ working memories have enough “free space” to be able to process the excess stimuli.
http://theelearningcoach.com/learning/seductive-details-and-learning/

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