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Graph Schema 1 Running Head: Shedding Light on the Graph Schema Shedding Light on the Graph Schema: Perceptual Features vs. Invariant Structure
BibTeX
@MISC{Ratwani_graphschema,
author = {Raj M. Ratwani and J. Gregory Trafton and Raj M. Ratwani},
title = {Graph Schema 1 Running Head: Shedding Light on the Graph Schema Shedding Light on the Graph Schema: Perceptual Features vs. Invariant Structure},
year = {}
}
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Abstract
Most theories of graph comprehension posit the existence of a graph schema to account for people’s prior knowledge of how to understand different graph types. The graph schema is, however, a purely theoretical construct: there are no empirical studies that have explicitly examined the nature of the graph schema. We sought to determine whether graph schemas are based on perceptual features or on a common invariant structure shared between certain graphs. The process of activating the graph schema was isolated as participants responded to graphs presented in pure and mixed blocks. Any differences in reaction time between the blocks could be attributed to loading the appropriate schema. Results from a series of experiments using five types of graphs suggest graph schemas are based on the graphical framework, a common invariant structure among certain types of graphs. These results provide insight into the comprehension of novel graphs. Graph Schema 3 Shedding Light on the Graph Schema: Perceptual Features vs. Invariant Structure Graphs provide useful and efficient ways in which to display information. When asked to extract information from a graph, people generally have some stored knowledge which is used to comprehend the graph, despite the fact that various graph types represent information differently. How do theories of graph comprehension account for our prior knowledge of how to interpret different graphs? By focusing on how specific information is extracted from a graph, several theories of graph comprehension have been developed (Lewandowsky & Behrens,
Keyphrases
graph schema perceptual feature invariant structure common invariant structure graph comprehension theoretical construct different graph certain type several theory people prior knowledge reaction time lewandowsky behrens invariant structure graph various graph type empirical study efficient way appropriate schema graphical framework specific information graph comprehension account mixed block certain graph prior knowledge different graph type novel graph
