The role of numerical cognitive processes for bar graph comprehension
2023-05
Loading...
View/Download File
Persistent link to this item
Statistics
View StatisticsJournal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Title
The role of numerical cognitive processes for bar graph comprehension
Authors
Published Date
2023-05
Publisher
Type
Thesis or Dissertation
Abstract
In the field of data visualization, there has been increasing recognition of the need to collaborate with the cognitive psychologists and investigate cognitive and mental processes that people recruit for graph comprehension. Previous studies have discovered that people perceive the length and width of bars to understand the numerical information in bar graphs. More generally, these two attributes are magnitudes. This raises the more general question of how people understand the magnitude information depicted in bar graphs. This dissertation research applies theories and experimental paradigms from numerical cognition, an area of study in cognitive psychology, to investigate whether people recruit number line representations and magnitude representations to understand the numerical values depicted in bar graphs. Across four experiments, undergraduate participants saw either two or three bars in a graph and judged which bar represents the greatest value. Experiment 1 investigated whether people prefer bar graphs that present bars horizontally, which aligns with the standard number line of mathematics, or graphs that present bars vertically, which is arguably a more conventional bar graph design. The results showed that participants judged the conventional vertical bar graphs faster than the number-line-congruent horizontal bar graphs. Experiment 2 further tested the conventionality versus number line congruity distinction by manipulating the orders of three bars in bar graphs. Participants made faster judgments when the three bars were presented in the conventional staircase order versus an irregular mixed order. Within the staircase order, participants showed comparable responses regardless of whether the bars were in ascending or descending order. This suggests that the number line representation, which places numbers left-to-right in increasing magnitude (i.e., the order effect) did not influence the performance. Experiment 3 examined whether people understand the magnitude information presented in bar graphs by the numerical values that the bars represent or by their physical sizes. The findings showed that participants’ comparison performance was driven by the sizes of the bars rather than the numerical values they represent. Participants’ performance was further predicted by the distance between the numerical values of bars and the scale of the axis. Experiment 4 investigated if gridlines serve as boundaries when comparing the bars in bar graphs. The results showed gridlines most benefit bar graph comprehension when it separates the bars on opposite sides. The findings of the current study introduce new theoretical constructs from numerical cognition to data visualization, inform how people parse magnitude information in bars graphs, and guide the design of better bar graphs for conveying the intended information.
Description
University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. May 2023. Major: Educational Psychology. Advisors: Keisha Varma, Sashank Varma. 1 computer file (PDF); xi, 120 pages.
Related to
Replaces
License
Collections
Series/Report Number
Funding information
Isbn identifier
Doi identifier
Previously Published Citation
Suggested citation
Park, Jimin. (2023). The role of numerical cognitive processes for bar graph comprehension. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/257082.
Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories.