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The acquisition and processing of cartographic information: Some preliminary experimentation

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Processing of Visible Language

Part of the book series: Nato Conference Series ((HF,volume 13))

Abstract

Two studies are presented that probed map readers’ abilities to isolate and process cartographic information visually. The first study describes a limited investigation of the relationship between three fixation-related variables and the informational characteristics of a map. The results indicated that map reading was typified by intelligent scanning. The second study followed from the first and describes six experiments investigating the relationship between the amount of graphic information and the accuracy of processing during a map-like visual choice task. The results of these experiments indicated that increasing the amount of graphic information decreased the accuracy of response when a basic level of information was presented.

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References Notes

  1. Jenks, G. F. Conceptual and perceptual error in thematic mapping. Technical Papers from the 30th Annual Meeting, American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, 1970, 174–188.

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References

  • Dobson, M. W. The influence of map information on fixation localization. The American Cartographer, 1979,6 (1), 51–65. (a)

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  • Dobson, M. W. Visual information processing during cartographic communication. The Cartographic Journal, 1979,16 (1), 14–20. (b)

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  • Dobson, M. W. The influence of amount of information on visual matching. The Cartographic Journal, 1980, in press.

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  • Mackworth, N. H., & Morandi, A.J. The gaze selects the informative details with in pictures. Perception & Psychophysics, 1967,2, 547–552.

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© 1980 Plenum Press, New York

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Dobson, M.W. (1980). The acquisition and processing of cartographic information: Some preliminary experimentation. In: Kolers, P.A., Wrolstad, M.E., Bouma, H. (eds) Processing of Visible Language. Nato Conference Series, vol 13. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1068-6_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1068-6_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-1070-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-1068-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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