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Cited by 162Data Visualization and AnalyticsVisual and Cognitive Learning ProcessesVisual perception and processing mechanisms

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 26 of the 26 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Displaying proportions and percentages

Spence, Ian, Lewandowsky, Stephan·1991·Applied Cognitive Psychology
DOI 10.1002/acp.2350050106
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Abstract

Pie and bar charts are commonly used to display percentage or proportional data, but professional data analysts have frowned on the use of the pie chart on the grounds that judgements of area are less accurate than judgements of lenth. Thus the bar chart has been favoured. When the amount of data to be communicated is small, some authorities have advocated the use of properly constructed tables, as another option. The series of experiments reported here suggests that there is little to choose between the pie and the bar chart, with the former enjoying a slight advantage if the required judgement is a complicated one, but that both forms of chart are superior to the table. Thus our results do not support the commonly expressed opinion that pie charts are inferior. An analysis of the nature of the task and a review of the psychophysical literature suggest that the traditional prejudice against the pie chart is misguided.

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Crossref · 10.1002/acp.2350050106

Cites

26 of 26 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Spence I.(1989).The visual psychophysics of simple graphical elements(submitted manuscript under review).
  2. Wainer H., 1988, Plotting in the modern world: statistics packages and good graphics, Change, 1, 10

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Metadata

Authors
Spence, I., & Lewandowsky, S.
Affiliations
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • The University of Western Australia (AU)
Corresponding author
Spence, Ian
ORCID
Venue
Applied Cognitive Psychology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
1991-01
Volume
5
Issue
1
Pages
61-77
ISSN
  • 0888-4080 (ISSN-L)
  • 1099-0720
DOI
10.1002/acp.2350050106
OpenAlex
W2059636449
Cited by
162
References
25
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 8
FWCI
3.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 5522 d)
Locations
  • Applied Cognitive Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design › Data Visualization and Analytics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
Keywords
pie charts, bar charts, proportional data, data presentation, data tables, psychophysics

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