• DocumentCode
    40553
  • Title

    How Visualization Layout Relates to Locus of Control and Other Personality Factors

  • Author

    Ziemkiewicz, C. ; Ottley, Alvitta ; Crouser, R.J. ; Yauilla, A.R. ; Su, S.L. ; Ribarsky, William ; Chang, Ronald

  • Author_Institution
    Aptima, Inc., Woburn, MA, USA
  • Volume
    19
  • Issue
    7
  • fYear
    2013
  • fDate
    Jul-13
  • Firstpage
    1109
  • Lastpage
    1121
  • Abstract
    Existing research suggests that individual personality differences are correlated with a user\´s speed and accuracy in solving problems with different types of complex visualization systems. We extend this research by isolating factors in personality traits as well as in the visualizations that could have contributed to the observed correlation. We focus on a personality trait known as "locus of control” (LOC), which represents a person\´s tendency to see themselves as controlled by or in control of external events. To isolate variables of the visualization design, we control extraneous factors such as color, interaction, and labeling. We conduct a user study with four visualizations that gradually shift from a list metaphor to a containment metaphor and compare the participants\´ speed, accuracy, and preference with their locus of control and other personality factors. Our findings demonstrate that there is indeed a correlation between the two: participants with an internal locus of control perform more poorly with visualizations that employ a containment metaphor, while those with an external locus of control perform well with such visualizations. These results provide evidence for the externalization theory of visualization. Finally, we propose applications of these findings to adaptive visual analytics and visualization evaluation.
  • Keywords
    data visualisation; LOC; adaptive visual analytics; color; complex visualization systems; containment metaphor; individual personality difference; interaction; labeling; list metaphor; locus of control; personality factors; personality traits; visualization evaluation; visualization externalization theory; visualization layout; Correlation; Data visualization; Electronic mail; Layout; Problem-solving; Visual analytics; Visualization; individual differences; locus of control; Age Factors; Computer Graphics; Extraversion (Psychology); Humans; Internal-External Control; Introversion (Psychology); Personality; Personality Assessment; Sex Factors; Visual Perception;
  • fLanguage
    English
  • Journal_Title
    Visualization and Computer Graphics, IEEE Transactions on
  • Publisher
    ieee
  • ISSN
    1077-2626
  • Type

    jour

  • DOI
    10.1109/TVCG.2012.180
  • Filename
    6297975