Chapter 6 – The One-Dimensional Picture
This chapter explores how visual representations, particularly those using images and pictograms, can be manipulated to distort the perception of data.
Key Points:
- Misleading Pictograms: The chapter focuses on how pictograms, which use images to represent quantities, can be deceptive. When an image is used to represent a value, doubling the value doesn’t just mean doubling the height of the image; it often means doubling both the height and width. This results in the area of the image quadrupling, creating a visual impression that the increase is much larger than it actually is.
- Example: A company wants to show that its profits have doubled from last year. They present a pictogram with a money bag icon. The current year’s money bag is twice as tall and twice as wide as the previous year’s. However, this makes the current year’s bag appear four times larger in area,
- Manipulating Sizes: Even when pictograms are not used, simply changing the size of objects in a visual representation can be misleading. For example, if one bag of money is drawn twice as tall as another to represent a doubling of income, the larger bag will appear to hold much more than twice the amount of money due to the increase in both height and width.
- Example: A chart compares the average salaries of two professions. The bar representing the higher-paying profession is not only taller but also wider than the other bar. This makes the higher-paying profession seem much more lucrative than it actually is, as the visual difference in area is disproportionate to the actual difference in salaries.
- The Illusion of Growth: This manipulation of size can create an illusion of significant growth or difference when the actual change is relatively small. This can be particularly effective in advertising or propaganda, where the goal is to create a strong visual impact and persuade viewers.
- Example: A government agency wants to demonstrate the success of a new policy in reducing unemployment. They present a graph with a cartoon figure representing the unemployed population. Over time, the figure shrinks in size, creating a visual impression of a significant decrease in unemployment. However, the actual decrease might be much smaller than the visual representation suggests.
The Importance of Proportions:
The chapter emphasizes the importance of maintaining proper proportions in visual representations of data. When using images or objects to represent quantities, it’s crucial to ensure that the changes in size accurately reflect the changes in the data. Otherwise, the visual representation can be misleading and distort the viewer’s understanding of the information.