How graphs can mislead

L. van Weelden; M.A.A. van Amelsvoort; Michael Bernhofer

How graphs can mislead

L. van Weelden, M.A.A. van Amelsvoort, Michael Bernhofer

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

The present study investigates the role of graph type (i.e., line or bar) in a context in which graphs are manipulated to mislead the viewer. Participants had to make a series of financial decisions based on two graphs that depicted the financial data of two companies. The two graphs were either presented accurately (i.e., one graph represented the more profitable option) or inaccurately (one of the two graphs’ y-axis was distorted, which therefore seemed the more profitable option, but actually was unprofitable). Participants chose the incorrect (i.e., unprofitable) option more often in the inaccurate condition and were thus deceived. If they did manage to look past the distortion and chose the correct option, it took them more time to do so. Our results did not show any differences between the deceiving characteristics of bar and line graphs.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Building bridges: Improving our understanding of learning from text and graphics by making the connection
Editors	Huib Tabbers, Bjorn de Koning, Marije van Amelsvoort, Jan van der Meij, Neil Jacobson, Erica de Vries
Publication status	Published - 2014
Event	EARLI SIG2 meeting 2014 - Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands Duration: 25 Sept 2014 → 27 Oct 2014

Conference

Conference	EARLI SIG2 meeting 2014
Country/Territory	Netherlands
City	Rotterdam
Period	25/09/14 → 27/10/14

Cite this

@inproceedings{45c4a1b67b9548c680e3f18c20a90571,

title = "How graphs can mislead",

abstract = "The present study investigates the role of graph type (i.e., line or bar) in a context in which graphs are manipulated to mislead the viewer. Participants had to make a series of financial decisions based on two graphs that depicted the financial data of two companies. The two graphs were either presented accurately (i.e., one graph represented the more profitable option) or inaccurately (one of the two graphs{\textquoteright} y-axis was distorted, which therefore seemed the more profitable option, but actually was unprofitable). Participants chose the incorrect (i.e., unprofitable) option more often in the inaccurate condition and were thus deceived. If they did manage to look past the distortion and chose the correct option, it took them more time to do so. Our results did not show any differences between the deceiving characteristics of bar and line graphs.",

author = "{van Weelden}, L. and {van Amelsvoort}, M.A.A. and Michael Bernhofer",

year = "2014",

language = "English",

editor = "Huib Tabbers and {de Koning}, Bjorn and {van Amelsvoort}, Marije and {van der Meij}, Jan and Neil Jacobson and {de Vries}, Erica",

booktitle = "Building bridges: Improving our understanding of learning from text and graphics by making the connection",

note = "EARLI SIG2 meeting 2014 ; Conference date: 25-09-2014 Through 27-10-2014",

}

How graphs can mislead. / van Weelden, L.; van Amelsvoort, M.A.A.; Bernhofer, Michael.
Building bridges: Improving our understanding of learning from text and graphics by making the connection. ed. / Huib Tabbers; Bjorn de Koning; Marije van Amelsvoort; Jan van der Meij; Neil Jacobson; Erica de Vries. 2014.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - How graphs can mislead

AU - van Weelden, L.

AU - van Amelsvoort, M.A.A.

AU - Bernhofer, Michael

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - The present study investigates the role of graph type (i.e., line or bar) in a context in which graphs are manipulated to mislead the viewer. Participants had to make a series of financial decisions based on two graphs that depicted the financial data of two companies. The two graphs were either presented accurately (i.e., one graph represented the more profitable option) or inaccurately (one of the two graphs’ y-axis was distorted, which therefore seemed the more profitable option, but actually was unprofitable). Participants chose the incorrect (i.e., unprofitable) option more often in the inaccurate condition and were thus deceived. If they did manage to look past the distortion and chose the correct option, it took them more time to do so. Our results did not show any differences between the deceiving characteristics of bar and line graphs.

AB - The present study investigates the role of graph type (i.e., line or bar) in a context in which graphs are manipulated to mislead the viewer. Participants had to make a series of financial decisions based on two graphs that depicted the financial data of two companies. The two graphs were either presented accurately (i.e., one graph represented the more profitable option) or inaccurately (one of the two graphs’ y-axis was distorted, which therefore seemed the more profitable option, but actually was unprofitable). Participants chose the incorrect (i.e., unprofitable) option more often in the inaccurate condition and were thus deceived. If they did manage to look past the distortion and chose the correct option, it took them more time to do so. Our results did not show any differences between the deceiving characteristics of bar and line graphs.

M3 - Conference contribution

BT - Building bridges: Improving our understanding of learning from text and graphics by making the connection

A2 - Tabbers, Huib

A2 - de Koning, Bjorn

A2 - van Amelsvoort, Marije

A2 - van der Meij, Jan

A2 - Jacobson, Neil

A2 - de Vries, Erica

T2 - EARLI SIG2 meeting 2014

Y2 - 25 September 2014 through 27 October 2014

ER -

How graphs can mislead

Abstract

Conference

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