The main focus of our study was to investigate multimedia effects that had different results from the findings of existing multimedia learning studies. First, we describe and summarize three experimental studies we conducted from 2006 to 2010. Then we analyze our findings to explore learner characteristics that may impact the cognitive processes in multimedia learning. Third, based on this analysis, we identify individual student characteristics that offer a more coherent explanation for why and how multimedia students learn differently: "affection," "prior knowledge," "metacognition," and "cognitive synergy." Including these student characteristics in multimedia learning considerations can shed additional light on an issue of great importance, namely how "cognitive synergy" affects multimedia learning. It can also lead to the identification and development of methods for helping students overcome learning difficulties and thus has important implications for multimedia researchers and teachers who are trying to optimally align learner characteristics with pedagogical and practical approaches to multimedia learning.