scholarly journals Logarithmic Axis Graphs Distort Lay Judgment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Ryan ◽  
Ellen Riemke Katrien Evers
Keyword(s):  
Logarithmic Scale ◽  
Linear Scale ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Linear Graphs

COVID-19 data is often presented using graphs with either a linear or logarithmic scale. Given the importance of this information, understanding how choice of scale changes interpretations is critical. To test this, we presented laypeople with the same data plotted using differing scales. We found that graphs with a logarithmic, as opposed to linear, scale resulted in laypeople making less accurate predictions of growth, viewing COVID-19 as less dangerous, and expressing both less support for policy interventions and less intention to take personal actions to combat COVID-19. Education reduces, but does not eliminate these effects. These results suggest that public communications should use logarithmic graphs only when necessary, and such graphs should be presented alongside education and linear graphs of the same data whenever possible.

scholarly journals Elastic-viscous properties of acrylic acid 2-propenamide gel

2021 ◽  
pp. 79-88
Author(s):  
A.K. Dorosh ◽  
N.M. Bilko ◽  
D.I. Bilko
Keyword(s):  
Elastic Modulus ◽  
Acrylic Acid ◽  
Modulus Of Elasticity ◽  
Deformation Temperature ◽  
Complex Viscosity ◽  
Equilibrium Structure ◽  
Relative Deformation ◽  
Logarithmic Scale ◽  
Linear Scale ◽  
Biophysical Properties

The rheological properties of the gel-like material, the monomer of which is a crosslinked and modified 2-propenamide of acrylic acid, were determined by relaxation rheometry methods. The values of its elastic modulus and modulus of losses and complex viscosity depending on: deforming stress and its frequency are determined; relative deformation; temperature in the range (20-100) ° C and the regularities of these dependences are noted. It is established that: 1) the dependence of the modulus of elasticity (G'); modulus of loss (G'') and complex viscosity from: relative deformation; voltage; temperature; frequencies indicate that in the linear scale they change according to nonlinear dependencies, and in the transition to the logarithmic scale contain plateau-like areas; 2) analytical dependences of the above parameters on stress, strain rate and temperature are complex and difficult to establish; 3) in the range (20-80) ° C and relative deformations (10-100)% hydrogel has a virtually unchanged value of the modulus (G ') ten times greater than the modulus (G' '), whichdetermines the uniqueness of its rheological and biophysical properties ;  4) in the region (20-80) ° C hydrogel in terms of modulus of elasticity and tangent of the angle of loss is close to a completely elastic body; 5) when the frequency of the deforming voltage is more than 15.8 Hz and the relative deformation ≥100%, the gel is brittlely deformed; while the modulus of its elasticity decreases abruptly and the modulus of losses increases rapidly with increasing frequency of the deforming stress. 6) the dependence of the elastic-viscosity characteristics of the samples washed and unwashed in saline gel in the temperature range (20-80) ° C differ little and indicate that the equilibrium structure of the hydrogel 2-propenamide acrylic acid belongs to the typical colloidal dispersed structure of gelatinous substances.

scholarly journals Logarithmic encoding of ensemble time intervals

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Ren ◽  
Fredrik Allenmark ◽  
Hermann J. Müller ◽  
Zhuanghua Shi
Keyword(s):  
Time Perception ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Internal Representation ◽  
Internal Clock ◽  
Time Range ◽  
Subjective Time ◽  
Logarithmic Scale ◽  
Linear Scale ◽  
Ensemble Averaging ◽  
Time Intervals

AbstractAlthough time perception is based on the internal representation of time, whether the subjective timeline is scaled linearly or logarithmically remains an open issue. Evidence from previous research is mixed: while the classical internal-clock model assumes a linear scale with scalar variability, there is evidence that logarithmic timing provides a better fit to behavioral data. A major challenge for investigating the nature of the internal scale is that the retrieval process required for time judgments may involve a remapping of the subjective time back to the objective scale, complicating any direct interpretation of behavioral findings. Here, we used a novel approach, requiring rapid intuitive ‘ensemble’ averaging of a whole set of time intervals, to probe the subjective timeline. Specifically, observers’ task was to average a series of successively presented, auditory or visual, intervals in the time range 300-1300 ms. Importantly, the intervals were taken from three sets of durations, which were distributed such that the arithmetic mean (from the linear scale) and the geometric mean (from the logarithmic scale) were clearly distinguishable. Consistently across the three sets and the two presentation modalities, our results revealed subjective averaging to be close to the geometric mean, indicative of a logarithmic timeline underlying time perception.

scholarly journals Logarithmic vs. Linear Visualizations of COVID-19 Cases Do Not Affect Citizens’ Support for Confinement

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Semra Sevi ◽  
Marco Mendoza Aviña ◽  
Gabrielle Péloquin-Skulski ◽  
Emmanuel Heisbourg ◽  
Paola Vegas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Causal Effect ◽  
Statistical Information ◽  
Visual Design ◽  
Logarithmic Scale ◽  
Cumulative Number ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Linear Scale ◽  
Design Decisions ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Media

In public health crises, the media and governments routinely share statistical analyses with the public. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the tool most commonly used to convey statistical information about the spread of the virus has been time-series graphs about the cumulative number of cases. When drawing such graphs, analysts have to make design decisions which can have dramatic effects on citizens’ interpretations. Plotting the COVID-19 progression on a linear scale highlights an exponential “explosion” in the number of cases, whereas plotting the number of cases on a logarithmic scale produces a line with a modest-looking slope. Even if the two graphs display the exact same information, differences in visual design may lead people to different substantive conclusions. In this study, we measure the causal effect of different visualization design choices on Canadians’ views about the crisis. We report results from a survey experiment conducted in April 2020 with a sample of 2500 respondents. We find that no matter how the information is presented, Canadians are united in supporting drastic confinement measures and in accepting that these measures will not be removed soon.

scholarly journals Logarithmic encoding of ensemble time intervals

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Ren ◽  
Fredrik Allenmark ◽  
Hermann J. Müller ◽  
Zhuanghua Shi
Keyword(s):  
Time Perception ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Internal Representation ◽  
Internal Clock ◽  
Time Range ◽  
Subjective Time ◽  
Logarithmic Scale ◽  
Linear Scale ◽  
Ensemble Averaging ◽  
Time Intervals

Abstract Although time perception is based on the internal representation of time, whether the subjective timeline is scaled linearly or logarithmically remains an open issue. Evidence from previous research is mixed: while the classical internal-clock model assumes a linear scale with scalar variability, there is evidence that logarithmic timing provides a better fit to behavioral data. A major challenge for investigating the nature of the internal scale is that the retrieval process required for time judgments may involve a remapping of the subjective time back to the objective scale, complicating any direct interpretation of behavioral findings. Here, we used a novel approach, requiring rapid intuitive ‘ensemble’ averaging of a whole set of time intervals, to probe the subjective timeline. Specifically, observers’ task was to average a series of successively presented, auditory or visual, intervals in the time range 300–1300 ms. Importantly, the intervals were taken from three sets of durations, which were distributed such that the arithmetic mean (from the linear scale) and the geometric mean (from the logarithmic scale) were clearly distinguishable. Consistently across the three sets and the two presentation modalities, our results revealed subjective averaging to be close to the geometric mean, indicative of a logarithmic timeline underlying time perception.

Risk Factors Influencing the Decline of Residual Renal Function in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sug Kyun Shin ◽  
Hyunjin Noh ◽  
Shin Wook Kang ◽  
Bo Jung Seo ◽  
In Hee Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Renal Function ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Peritoneal Dialysis ◽  
Independent Risk Factor ◽  
Residual Renal Function ◽  
Logarithmic Scale ◽  
Linear Scale ◽  
Factors Influencing

Objective To assess the nature of the decline in residual renal function (RRF) after the initiation of peritoneal dialysis, and to identify risk factors influencing the preservation of RRF. Design A retrospective single-center study. Setting Tertiary medical center. Patients Eighty patients who were clinically stable and had been on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for a minimum of 6 months. Main Outcome Measures All subjects had at least three measurements of RRF, which was calculated as the average of creatinine clearance (Ccr) and urea clearance from a 24-hour urine collection. All measurements of RRF were plotted on a logarithmic scale and a linear scale against the duration of CAPD. Covariables used in the correlation analyses were age, sex, the presence of diabetes mellitus, mean blood pressure, mean diastolic blood pressure, hematocrit and Ccr at the start of peritoneal dialysis, peritoneal membrane transport characteristics by peritoneal equilibration test (PET), and the rate of peritonitis. Results A significant correlation was found between CAPD duration and RRF decline represented on a logarithmic scale with a correlation coefficient ( r) of 0.355 ( p < 0.001). In contrast, on a linear scale, the correlation coefficient was only 0.273 ( p < 0.01). By linear multiple regression analysis, the only independent risk factor for the decline of RRF was the rate of peritonitis ( r = -0.446, p < 0.001). Conclusion These results suggest that RRF declines exponentially rather than linearly with time, and that the rate of peritonitis is an independent risk factor for the decline of RRF in CAPD patients.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Data: The Logarithmic Scale Misinforms the Public and Affects Policy Preferences

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Romano ◽  
Chiara Sotis ◽  
Goran Dominioni ◽  
Sebastián Guidi
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Policy Preferences ◽  
Logarithmic Scale ◽  
Linear Scale ◽  
The Public ◽  
Related Information

Mass media routinely present data on COVID-19 diffusion using either a log scale or a linear scale. We show that the scale adopted on these graphs has important consequences on how people understand and react to the information conveyed. In particular, we find that when we show the number of COVID-19 related deaths on a logarithmic scale, people have a less accurate understanding of how the pandemic has developed, make less accurate predictions on its evolution, and have different policy preferences than when they are exposed to a linear scale. Consequently, merely changing the scale can alter public policy preferences and the level of worry, despite the fact that people are exposed to a lot of COVID-19 related information. Reducing misinformation can help improving the response to COVID-19, thus, mass media and policymakers should always describe the evolution of the pandemic using a graph on a linear scale, or at least they should show both scales. More generally, our results confirm that policymakers should not only care about what information to communicate, but also about how to do it, as even small differences in data framing can have a significant impact.

A comparison of continuous and discrete foreign gas VA/Q distributions

1980 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 684-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Teplick ◽  
M. T. Snider ◽  
J. P. Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Discrete Model ◽  
Continuous Model ◽  
Lung Model ◽  
Logarithmic Scale ◽  
Linear Scale ◽  
Similar Shape ◽  
Distribution Moments ◽  
Ventilation Perfusion Ratio ◽  
Q Values

Estimates of ventilation-perfusion ratio (VA/Q) distributions from foreign gas infusions have utilized a discrete lung model that constrains all alveoli to have 1 of 50 specified VA/Q. In contrast, distribution estimates based on a continuous model allow alveoli to have any VA/Q and can be derived directly from foreign gas data or by transforming distributions derived using the discrete model. We have compared analytically and empirically the properties of distributions based on these two models. Unlike the discrete model, the shape of distributions obtained from the continuous model are insensitive to changes in the VA/Q used in their calculation. Perfusion distributions found from the discrete model using VA/Q values evenly spaced on a logarithmic scale resemble ventilation distributions derived from the continuous model. In contrast, by use of VA/Q evenly spaced on a linear scale, perfusion distributions derived from either model have a similar shape. We concluded that physiological inferences derived from distribution shapes may vary according to the model employed. However, those based upon cumulative perfusion or distribution moments are invariant.

Surface recombination effects on minority carrier diffusion length measurements using electron beam-induced current

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 744-745
Author(s):  
D.P. Malta ◽  
M.L. Timmons
Keyword(s):  
Electron Beam ◽  
Beam Energy ◽  
Minority Carrier ◽  
Diffusion Length ◽  
Effective Diffusion ◽  
Surface Recombination ◽  
Surface Recombination Velocity ◽  
Logarithmic Scale ◽  
Minority Carrier Diffusion Length ◽  
Carrier Diffusion

Measurement of the minority carrier diffusion length (L) can be performed by measurement of the rate of decay of excess minority carriers with the distance (x) of an electron beam excitation source from a p-n junction or Schottky barrier junction perpendicular to the surface in an SEM. In an ideal case, the decay is exponential according to the equation, I = Ioexp(−x/L), where I is the current measured at x and Io is the maximum current measured at x=0. L can be obtained from the slope of the straight line when plotted on a semi-logarithmic scale. In reality, carriers recombine not only in the bulk but at the surface as well. The result is a non-exponential decay or a sublinear semi-logarithmic plot. The effective diffusion length (Leff) measured is shorter than the actual value. Some improvement in accuracy can be obtained by increasing the beam-energy, thereby increasing the penetration depth and reducing the percentage of carriers reaching the surface. For materials known to have a high surface recombination velocity s (cm/sec) such as GaAs and its alloys, increasing the beam energy is insufficient. Furthermore, one may find an upper limit on beam energy as the diameter of the signal generation volume approaches the device dimensions.

Policy interventions in health and safety: What works and when--Evidence from the UK

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Hollis ◽  
Stavroula Leka ◽  
Aditya Jain ◽  
Nicholas J. A. Andreou ◽  
Gerard Zwetsloot
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
What Works ◽  
The Uk

Language Revitalisation in Gaelic Scotland

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Dunmore
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Basque Country ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Contemporary Society ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
School Based ◽  
Immersion Education ◽  
Medium Education ◽  
Language Revitalisation ◽  
First Time

Situated within the interrelated disciplines of applied sociolinguistics and the sociology of language, this book explores the language use and attitudinal perceptions of a sample of 130 adults who received Gaelic-medium education (GME) at primary school, during the first years of that system’s availability in Scotland. The school is viewed by policymakers as a crucial site for language revitalisation in such diverse contexts as Hawai’i, New Zealand and the Basque Country – as well as throughout the Celtic-speaking world. In Scotland, GME is seen as a key area of language development, regarded by policymakers as a strategic priority for revitalising Gaelic, and maintaining its use by future generations of speakers. Yet theorists have stressed that school-based policy interventions are inadequate for realising this objective in isolation, and that without sufficient support in the home and community, children are unlikely to develop strong identities or supportive ideologies in the language of their classroom instruction. For the first time, this book provides an in-depth assessment of language use, ideologies and attitudes among adults who received an immersion education in a minority language, and considers subsequent prospects for language revitalisation in contemporary society. Based on detailed analyses using mixed methods, the book offers empirically grounded suggestions for individuals and policymakers seeking to revitalise languages internationally. 

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