A cognitive model for the perception and understanding of graphs

Abstract

Despite the increasing importance of graphics in the design of information systems, we have only a partial understanding of how people perceive and process graphic information. This paper describes a computer program, UCIE, that simulates graphical perception. The goal of the program is to model the underlying perceptual and cognitive processes people use to decode information from a graph. The model predicts reaction time from assumptions about the logical sequence of eye fixations, STM capacity and duration limitations, and the relative level of difficulty to acquire information in each glance. The model summarizes a large body of empirical results