Increase Cognitive-Emotional Arousal
One of the more difficult tasks that exhibits attempt
is to provoke interest and/or thought in the visitor.
Once stimulated, visitors usually become more
“mindful” and are more willing to read and think
about the exhibit content. T hus, increasing cognitiveemotional
arousal motivates mental focusing on interpretive
objects. Provoking interest may also be a
way to renew the resources of attention (see principle
No. 3, capacity of attention).
Following are brief descriptions of, and the evidence
for, many of the variables that seem to stimulate
cognitive-emotional arousal: