An Empirical Study on Using Visual Embellishments in Visualization

In written and spoken communications, figures of speech (e.g., metaphors and synecdoche) are often used as an aid to help convey abstract or less tangible concepts. However, the benefits of using rhetorical illustrations or embellishments in visualization have so far been inconclusive. In this work,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Borgo, R, Abdul-Rahman, A, Mohamed, F, Grant, P, Reppa, I, Floridi, L, Chen, M
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2012
_version_ 1826302099611189248
author Borgo, R
Abdul-Rahman, A
Mohamed, F
Grant, P
Reppa, I
Floridi, L
Chen, M
author_facet Borgo, R
Abdul-Rahman, A
Mohamed, F
Grant, P
Reppa, I
Floridi, L
Chen, M
author_sort Borgo, R
collection OXFORD
description In written and spoken communications, figures of speech (e.g., metaphors and synecdoche) are often used as an aid to help convey abstract or less tangible concepts. However, the benefits of using rhetorical illustrations or embellishments in visualization have so far been inconclusive. In this work, we report an empirical study to evaluate hypotheses that visual embellishments may aid memorization, visual search and concept comprehension. One major departure from related experiments in the literature is that we make use of a dualtask methodology in our experiment. This design offers an abstraction of typical situations where viewers do not have their full attention focused on visualization (e.g., in meetings and lectures). The secondary task introduces -divided attention-, and makes the effects of visual embellishments more observable. In addition, it also serves as additional masking in memory-based trials. The results of this study show that visual embellishments can help participants better remember the information depicted in visualization. On the other hand, visual embellishments can have a negative impact on the speed of visual search. The results show a complex pattern as to the benefits of visual embellishments in helping participants grasp key concepts from visualization. © 1995-2012 IEEE.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T05:42:23Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:e6050bad-6efd-4e30-939a-ff414585f045
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T05:42:23Z
publishDate 2012
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:e6050bad-6efd-4e30-939a-ff414585f0452022-03-27T10:28:14ZAn Empirical Study on Using Visual Embellishments in VisualizationJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:e6050bad-6efd-4e30-939a-ff414585f045EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2012Borgo, RAbdul-Rahman, AMohamed, FGrant, PReppa, IFloridi, LChen, MIn written and spoken communications, figures of speech (e.g., metaphors and synecdoche) are often used as an aid to help convey abstract or less tangible concepts. However, the benefits of using rhetorical illustrations or embellishments in visualization have so far been inconclusive. In this work, we report an empirical study to evaluate hypotheses that visual embellishments may aid memorization, visual search and concept comprehension. One major departure from related experiments in the literature is that we make use of a dualtask methodology in our experiment. This design offers an abstraction of typical situations where viewers do not have their full attention focused on visualization (e.g., in meetings and lectures). The secondary task introduces -divided attention-, and makes the effects of visual embellishments more observable. In addition, it also serves as additional masking in memory-based trials. The results of this study show that visual embellishments can help participants better remember the information depicted in visualization. On the other hand, visual embellishments can have a negative impact on the speed of visual search. The results show a complex pattern as to the benefits of visual embellishments in helping participants grasp key concepts from visualization. © 1995-2012 IEEE.
spellingShingle Borgo, R
Abdul-Rahman, A
Mohamed, F
Grant, P
Reppa, I
Floridi, L
Chen, M
An Empirical Study on Using Visual Embellishments in Visualization
title An Empirical Study on Using Visual Embellishments in Visualization
title_full An Empirical Study on Using Visual Embellishments in Visualization
title_fullStr An Empirical Study on Using Visual Embellishments in Visualization
title_full_unstemmed An Empirical Study on Using Visual Embellishments in Visualization
title_short An Empirical Study on Using Visual Embellishments in Visualization
title_sort empirical study on using visual embellishments in visualization
work_keys_str_mv AT borgor anempiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT abdulrahmana anempiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT mohamedf anempiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT grantp anempiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT reppai anempiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT floridil anempiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT chenm anempiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT borgor empiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT abdulrahmana empiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT mohamedf empiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT grantp empiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT reppai empiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT floridil empiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization
AT chenm empiricalstudyonusingvisualembellishmentsinvisualization