Models of Graphical Perception

Publisher Summary Graphical perception investigates the mechanisms by which humans perceive, interpret, use, and communicate graphical information. Models of graphical perception explain how people process information from graphs and heighten their understanding of the underlying psychological processes. This knowledge facilitates the design of graphics by providing robust quantitative predictions for evaluating alternative graphic designs or for automating the design of graphics entirely. This chapter discusses models of graphical perception and the design of graphic presentations. The chapter presents an overview of the literature on graphs, tables, and important uses of graphics. The chapter also presents insights about contemporary graph usage through a history of graphics along with the summary of a large body of empirical research on the presentation of graphical information. The chapter describes the psychology of graphical perception and cognition and explains how people acquire information from graphs. Finally, the chapter briefly outlines seven models of graphical perception for evaluating graphic design or automating the design of graphics.

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