Chapter 1 Contributions of Perceptual and Cognitive Processes to the Comprehension of Graphics

This chapter describes perceptual and cognitive processes that are involved in the organization, interpretation and comprehension of graphics. The notational symbol system of graphics provides an unambiguous one-to-one relationship between each symbol and a referent in the content domain as well as relatively clear indications of the relations among symbols. Perceptual processes, operating on these symbols and inter-symbol relations, allow the viewer to detect, discriminate among and configure graphic symbols into patterns. Cognitive processes, to some extent influenced by the organization imposed by perception, operate iteratively on information organized by perception leading to the identification, interpretation and comprehension of what has been perceived. Studies that illustrate the operation of these processes are described. Research questions for future study are offered as a conclusion. Resume Ce chapitre decrit les processus perceptifs et cognitifs qui sont impliques dans ľorganisation, ľinterpretation et la comprehension des graphiques. Le systeme de symboles notationnels des graphiques fournit aussi bien une relation terme a terme entre chaque symbole et un referent dans le domaine du contenu, que des indications relativement claires sur les relations parmi les symboles. Les processus perceptifs, operant sur ces symboles et sur les relations inter-symboles, permettent a la personne qui regarde de detecter, de discriminer et de configurer les symboles graphiques en patterns. Les processus cognitifs, influences jusqu'a un certain point par ľorganisation imposee par la perception, operent de facon iterative sur ľinformation organisee par la perception, aboutissant a ľidentification, ľnterpretation et la comprehension de ce qui a ete percu. Des etudes qui illustrent la mise en oeuvre de ces processus sont decrites. En conclusion, des questions de recherche sont proposees pour des etudes futures.