A Componential Model of Human Interaction with Graphs. H. Effects of the Distances among Graphical Elements

1992 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas J. Gillan ◽  
Michael Neary

Based on task analyses of people using graphs, Gillan and Lewis (1992) have developed a model that describes how people interact with graphs. The model proposes that for simple tasks (e.g., comparisons and subtraction) and common graphs (e.g., line, scatter, and bar graphs), graph users apply combinations of five component processes — Searching for indicators, Encoding the value of indicators, performing Arithmetic Operations on the values, making Spatial Comparisons among the indicators, and Responding. The model further suggests that the combination and order of the components that the user applies depends on a user's task and the type of graph. The present research investigated two predictions from the model concerning spatial relations in a graph: (1) that response times to answer comparison questions should be sensitive to varying the distance between two indicators, but not to varying the indicator-to-axis distance, and (2) that response times to answer difference questions should be sensitive to the distance between the indicator and the y-axis, but not to the distance between the indicators. In the experiment, subjects used line and bar graphs to answer comparison and difference questions in which the appropriate distances varied systematically. The results of the research supported both predictions, thereby providing empirical validation of the model. In addition, some aspects of the data were not anticipated by the model, suggesting the need to enhance the componential model.

2000 ◽  
Vol 44 (21) ◽  
pp. 3-439-3-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas J. Gillan

Research and models of graph reading suggest that the reader's task is an important determinant of the perceptual and cognitive processing components that the reader uses. When people read a pie graph to determine the proportional size of a segment, they apply three processing components: selecting the appropriate mental anchor to which to compare the segment (25%, 50%, or 75%), mentally aligning the anchor to the angular position of the segment around the pie, and mentally adjusting the anchor to match the pie segment size. When a pie graph reader faces a different task, e.g., estimating the ratio of two segments or the difference between two segments, does she use the same processing components to estimate the proportions of A and of B (and then divide one estimate into the other) or does she use a more direct method of mentally aligning the two segments to be compared, then mentally overlaying one on the other (for a ratio) or estimating the spatial difference between the pie segments (for a difference). Two experiments supported the Direct models over the Proportion-based models. The component processes of the Direct models suggest that pie graph designs that eliminated the angular difference between segments being compared should improve performance.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melisa Stevanovic ◽  
Sonja E. Koski

Abstract Intersubjectivity is a concept central to human interaction, broadly understood as the sharing of minds. There is a rich diversity of conceptualizations of intersubjectivity, but detailed operationalization for its component processes in social interactions are scarce. We propose a novel approach to examine detailed variation in intersubjectivity in interaction. Our approach combines two previously formulated frameworks: the hierarchically organized developmental levels of intersubjectivity put forth in the field of developmental psychology, and three domains or orders of social interaction - affect, deontics, and epistemics - discussed in conversation analytic research literature. The interdisciplinary integration of these two frameworks allows a more crystallized view of intersubjectivity, which will benefit our understanding of the fine-scale social interaction processes as they vary in the course of the moment-to-moment unfolding of social action, across different stages of human social development, and between individuals belonging to different clinical groups and even to different species.


Perception ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moshe Bar ◽  
Shimon Ullman

In recognizing objects and scenes, partial recognition of objects or their parts can be used to guide the recognition of other objects. Here, the role of individual objects in the recognition of complete figures and the influence of contextual information on the identification of ambiguous objects were investigated. Configurations of objects that were placed in either proper or improper spatial relations were used, and response times and error rates in a recognition task were measured. Two main results were obtained. First, proper spatial relations among the objects of a scene decrease response times and error rates in the recognition of individual objects. Second, the presence of objects that have a unique interpretation improves the identification of ambigous objects in the scene. Ambiguous objects were recognized faster and with fewer errors in the presence of clearly recognized objects compared with the same objects in isolation or in improper spatial relations. The implications of these findings for the organization of recognition memory are discussed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (22) ◽  
pp. 81-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamil Nieścioruk

Abstract The article reviews a methodology of using early maps and other cartographic materials in the past environment studies. The application of the cartographic method of research is presented on examples from different research fields, but cases from the Earth Science are analysed deeper - from hydrography, through geomorphology to many aspects of economic geography. What is broadly described is a detection of human interaction with the nature: all traces that are marked by settlement, land use, communication, etc. This paper shows that the past environment, with its ways of use and topology can be recreated using early maps. These materials help finding hidden marks from the past, saved in abandoned orchards, old roads composed into modern network, toponyms storing past spatial relations, etc. It is also shown that analyses of early maps have to be conveyed with great care and responsibility, especially when it comes to geometric properties of old cartographic materials. The Geographic Information System (GIS) is helpful in such a situation, but its use is more profound. In this paper GIS is described as a tool being a great step forward in the applications of cartographic method of research and many examples of such applications in the field of a landscape analyses are given - from simple yet informative numeric outcomes of research to 3D virtual creations of long-gone landscapes.


Author(s):  
Douglas J. Gillan ◽  
S. Mark LaSalle

The Mixed Arithmetic-Perceptual (MA-P) model of graph comprehension proposes that graph users apply combinations of component processes — including Searching for indicators, Encoding the value of indicators, performing Arithmetic Operations on the values, making Spatial Comparisons among the indicators, and Responding — when they answer questions from a graph. The model further suggests that the combination and order of the components that the user applies depends on a user's task and the type of graph. The present research investigated the use of another component process — mental rotation — in interacting with star graphs. Subjects used two star graphs to answer comparison and difference questions in which the differences in orientation of the indicators in question varied from 0 to 288°. The results showed a nonmonotonic change in response time with the difference in orientation. The discussion addresses the effects of mental rotation in reading displays and the role that rotation may play in the hierarchy of graph effectiveness proposed by Cleveland and McGill.


Author(s):  
G. M. Cohen ◽  
J. S. Grasso ◽  
M. L. Domeier ◽  
P. T. Mangonon

Any explanation of vestibular micromechanics must include the roles of the otolithic and cupular membranes. However, micromechanical models of vestibular function have been hampered by unresolved questions about the microarchitectures of these membranes and their connections to stereocilia and supporting cells. Otolithic membranes are notoriously difficult to preserve because of severe shrinkage and loss of soluble components. We have empirically developed fixation procedures that reduce shrinkage artifacts and more accurately depict the spatial relations between the otolithic membranes and the ciliary bundles and supporting cells.We used White Leghorn chicks, ranging in age from newly hatched to one week. The inner ears were fixed for 3-24 h in 1.5-1.75% glutaraldehyde in 150 mM KCl, buffered with potassium phosphate, pH 7.3; when postfixed, it was for 30 min in 1% OsO4 alone or mixed with 1% K4Fe(CN)6. The otolithic organs (saccule, utricle, lagenar macula) were embedded in Araldite 502. Semithin sections (1 μ) were stained with toluidine blue.


Author(s):  
M.J. Kim ◽  
L.C. Liu ◽  
S.H. Risbud ◽  
R.W. Carpenter

When the size of a semiconductor is reduced by an appropriate materials processing technique to a dimension less than about twice the radius of an exciton in the bulk crystal, the band like structure of the semiconductor gives way to discrete molecular orbital electronic states. Clusters of semiconductors in a size regime lower than 2R {where R is the exciton Bohr radius; e.g. 3 nm for CdS and 7.3 nm for CdTe) are called Quantum Dots (QD) because they confine optically excited electron- hole pairs (excitons) in all three spatial dimensions. Structures based on QD are of great interest because of fast response times and non-linearity in optical switching applications.In this paper we report the first HREM analysis of the size and structure of CdTe and CdS QD formed by precipitation from a modified borosilicate glass matrix. The glass melts were quenched by pouring on brass plates, and then annealed to relieve internal stresses. QD precipitate particles were formed during subsequent "striking" heat treatments above the glass crystallization temperature, which was determined by differential thermal analysis.


The Analyst ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 145 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanda V. Fernandez ◽  
Rocío T. Tosello ◽  
José L. Fernández

Gas diffusion electrodes based on nanoporous alumina membranes electrocatalyze hydrogen oxidation at high diffusion-limiting current densities with fast response times.


2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 1486-1505
Author(s):  
Joshua M. Alexander

PurposeFrequency lowering in hearing aids can cause listeners to perceive [s] as [ʃ]. The S-SH Confusion Test, which consists of 66 minimal word pairs spoken by 6 female talkers, was designed to help clinicians and researchers document these negative side effects. This study's purpose was to use this new test to evaluate the hypothesis that these confusions will increase to the extent that low frequencies are altered.MethodTwenty-one listeners with normal hearing were each tested on 7 conditions. Three were control conditions that were low-pass filtered at 3.3, 5.0, and 9.1 kHz. Four conditions were processed with nonlinear frequency compression (NFC): 2 had a 3.3-kHz maximum audible output frequency (MAOF), with a start frequency (SF) of 1.6 or 2.2 kHz; 2 had a 5.0-kHz MAOF, with an SF of 1.6 or 4.0 kHz. Listeners' responses were analyzed using concepts from signal detection theory. Response times were also collected as a measure of cognitive processing.ResultsOverall, [s] for [ʃ] confusions were minimal. As predicted, [ʃ] for [s] confusions increased for NFC conditions with a lower versus higher MAOF and with a lower versus higher SF. Response times for trials with correct [s] responses were shortest for the 9.1-kHz control and increased for the 5.0- and 3.3-kHz controls. NFC response times were also significantly longer as MAOF and SF decreased. The NFC condition with the highest MAOF and SF had statistically shorter response times than its control condition, indicating that, under some circumstances, NFC may ease cognitive processing.ConclusionsLarge differences in the S-SH Confusion Test across frequency-lowering conditions show that it can be used to document a major negative side effect associated with frequency lowering. Smaller but significant differences in response times for correct [s] trials indicate that NFC can help or hinder cognitive processing, depending on its settings.


2003 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-218
Author(s):  
A. N’gbala ◽  
N. R. Branscombe

When do causal attribution and counterfactual thinking facilitate one another, and when do the two responses overlap? Undergraduates (N = 78) both explained and undid, in each of two orders, events that were described either with their potential causes or not. The time to perform either response was recorded. Overall, mutation response times were shorter when performed after an attribution was made than before, while attribution response times did not vary as a consequence of sequence. Depending on whether the causes of the target events were described in the scenario or not, respondents undid the actor and assigned causality to another antecedent, or pointed to the actor for both responses. These findings suggest that counterfactual mutation is most likely to be facilitated by attribution, and that mutation and attribution responses are most likely to overlap when no information about potential causes of the event is provided.


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