Visual Symbolic Processing in Modern Times

Olga Werby, Ed.D.
Pipsqueak Productions, LLC
San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
www.pipsqueak.com
Visual Symbolic Processing
in Modern Times:
a small study on the comprehension of complex visual information
Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Examples of Visual Information

ComputerTools Make DataVisualization Easy
Proliferation of Abstract Visual Data
Personal, Civic, Professional, Political Decisions
based on Visual Data
Degree of Comprehension of Visual Data Varies

Visual Symbolic Processing Analysis
Perceiving: the ability to ﬁgure out a pattern of sequentially or
spatially arranged visual data
Remembering: the ability to remember a sequential or spatial
pattern of visual information
Making: the ability to create, organize, or arrange information in
a sequential or spatial visual pattern
Thinking: the ability to problem solve, to reason, and to think
critically about sequential or spatial visual information

Study Focus
Perceiving
Thinking

Visual Symbolic Processing Skills
Lower order skills include:
find visual information—the ability to find discrete information explicitly presented by a
diagram;
understand and explain visual information—the ability to read and understand the
meanings of axis, units, and labels in a diagram and what they represent.
Higher order skills include:
use visual information to generate new information—the ability to use data flexibly and
to generate additional information based on visual data presented in a diagram;
summarize visual information—the ability to convert visual data into a language-based
story (requires deep understanding of the information);
compare multiple visual representations—the ability to convert information found in
one diagram into data structures of another diagram and assign a value judgement on
the quality and usefulness of each presentation.

Testing Visual Symbolic Processing Skills
Lower order skills—6 questions total
ﬁnd visual information—5 questions
understand and explain visual information—1 question
Higher order skills—10 questions total
use visual information to generate new info.—5 questions
summarize visual information—4 questions
compare multiple visual representations—1 question

Sample Question: In the diagram above, Inspector General Minard illustrated the diminishing number of Napoleon troops
marching to and from Moscow in several ways. Check all that you think apply.
1. At any point in the graph above, the thickness of the line
representing Napoleon’s troops is in direct proportion to the
number of soldiers marching in the army.
2. At any point in the graph above, the height of the line representing
Napoleon’s troops is in direct proportion to the number of
soldiers marching in the army.
3. The color of the line representing Napoleon’s troops indicates the
4. The slope of the line representing Napoleon’s troops indicates the number of
5. The numbers next to the line representing Napoleon’s troops state the number of
soldiers marching in the army at that point.
6. The line graph at the bottom of the diagram plots the number of soldiers
marching in the army at that point.
7. All of the above.
8. This information can’t be obtained from the diagram above.
9. I don’t know.

Sample Question: In the diagram above, Inspector General Minard illustrated the diminishing number of Napoleon troops
marching to and from Moscow in several ways. Check all that you think apply.
1. At any point in the graph above, the thickness of the line
representing Napoleon’s troops is in direct proportion to the
2. At any point in the graph above, the height of the line representing
Napoleon’s troops is in direct proportion to the number of
3. The color of the line representing Napoleon’s troops indicates the
4. The slope of the line representing Napoleon’s troops indicates the number of
5. The numbers next to the line representing Napoleon’s troops state the
number of soldiers marching in the army at that point.
6. The line graph at the bottom of the diagram plots the number of soldiers
marching in the army at that point.
7. All of the above.
8. This information can’t be obtained from the diagram above.
9. I don’t know.

2012
Results:

California
Schools:
Skills Tested by the Study Skills Taught in California Schools Year
Introduced
HigherOrderAbstractVisualProcessingSkills
use visual information to generate new
information
and to generate additional information based on
visual data presented in a diagram
1st grade
4th grade
4th grade
6th grade
7th grade
8th grade
summarize visual information—the ability
story (requires deep understanding of the
information)
K
K
2nd grade
5th grade
7th grade
7th grade
compare multiple visual representations—the
and assign a value judgement on the quality and
K
3rd grade
4th grade
8th grade
8th grade
LowerOrderAbstractVisualProcessingSkills
diagram
1st grade
5th grade
5th grade
8th grade
understand and explain visual information—
the ability to read and understand the meanings
they represent
2nd grade
8th grade

Olga Werby, Ed.D.
Pipsqueak Productions, LLC
San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
www.pipsqueak.com
Thank you!

Visual Symbolic Processing in Modern Times

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Visual Symbolic Processing in Modern Times