Open AccessSusceptibility of domain experts to color manipulation indicate a need for design principles in data visualization
Author(s) -
Markus Christen,
Peter Brugger,
Sara Irina Fabrikant
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0246479
Subject(s) - visualization , salient , computer science , data science , domain (mathematical analysis) , data visualization , creative visualization , scale (ratio) , color coding , information visualization , human–computer interaction , artificial intelligence , cartography , geography , mathematical analysis , mathematics
Color is key for the visual encoding of data, yet its use reportedly affects decision making in important ways. We examined the impact of various popular color schemes on experts’ and lay peoples’ map-based decisions in two, geography and neuroscience, scenarios, in an online visualization experiment. We found that changes in color mappings influence domain experts, especially neuroimaging experts, more in their decision-making than novices. Geographic visualization experts exhibited more trust in the unfavorable rainbow color scale than would have been predicted by their suitability ratings and their training, which renders them sensitive to scale appropriateness. Our empirical results make a strong call for increasing scientists’ awareness for and training in perceptually salient and cognitively informed design principles in data visualization.