The synergy of pedagogical agents and metaphorical design: Reducing psychological distance to enhance video learning

Synthesis: This study examined the effects of pedagogical agents (real vs. virtual) and metaphorical design on learners' performance, attention, comprehension, and psychological distance in a 2x2 between-subjects design with 129 learners. Results showed both virtual pedagogical agents and metaphorical design improved learning performance and reduced psychological distance. Metaphorical design specifically increased cognitive effort and enhanced virtual agents' perceived human-likeness. Spatial and hypothetical distances mediated the effects on learning performance.

Key Findings

This study examined the effects of pedagogical agents (real vs. virtual) and metaphorical design on learners' performance, attention, comprehension, and psychological distance in a 2x2 between-subjects design with 129 learners. Results showed both virtual pedagogical agents and metaphorical design improved learning performance and reduced psychological distance. Metaphorical design specifically increased cognitive effort and enhanced virtual agents' perceived human-likeness. Spatial and hypothetical distances mediated the effects on learning performance.

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Citation## Citation

Xu, K., Zhang, Q., Zhang, Y., Xu, H., Pi, Z., & Yang, J. (2026). The synergy of pedagogical agents and metaphorical design: Reducing psychological distance to enhance video learning. British Journal of Educational Technology.