Apprehension Principle

Overview

The Apprehension Principle is a guideline for creating effective visual displays in order to communicate information effectively. It states that the visual display should be presented in a manner that allows the viewer to accurately perceive and understand it. This means that the speed at which animations are presented should be appropriate for the viewer to comprehend (Tversky et al., 2002), and the visual dimensions, including size, position, and color, should be accurately judged by the viewer (Cleveland & McGill, 1983; Wickens & Hollands, 2000). The goal of the apprehension principle is to ensure that the visual display is effective in conveying the intended message or information. This can be achieved by considering the viewer's cognitive abilities and limitations, and designing the visual display in a way that is easy to understand and interpret. The principle is based on the idea that the way in which information is presented can significantly impact its accessibility and understandability. By designing visual displays that are clear, concise, and easy to comprehend, it is possible to effectively communicate information to the viewer.

Examples & Design Implications

1. One example of design implication of The Apprehension Principle is the design of a public transportation map. A well-designed map should be easy to read and understand, with clear labels and visual elements that accurately convey the location and connection of different transportation lines. For example, the map might use different colors or line styles to distinguish between different types of transportation, such as trains, buses, and trams. It might also use symbols or icons to represent different types of landmarks or points of interest, such as airports, parks, and shopping centers. In addition to the visual design, the map should also be presented at a speed that allows the viewer to comprehend and process the information. This might mean displaying the map in a static form, rather than as a fast-moving animation, or providing the option for the viewer to zoom in or out to get a better view of the details. Overall, the goal of the map's design should be to effectively communicate the information about the transportation network in a way that is easy for the viewer to understand and navigate. This aligns with the principles of the apprehension principle, which suggests that visual displays should be accurately perceived and judged in order to be effective.

2. Another example of design implication of The Apprehension Principle is the design of a weather forecast website or app. The goal of the design should be to effectively communicate the current and future weather conditions in a way that is easy for the viewer to understand and use. For instance, the website or app can use visual elements such as icons, colors, and graphs to represent different types of weather, such as sunny, cloudy, or rainy. It might also use labels or text to provide more detailed information about the temperature, humidity, wind speed, and other meteorological data. In addition to the visual design, the website or app should also consider the speed at which the information is presented. For example, the forecast might update dynamically in real-time, or allow the user to select a specific time frame or location to view the forecast for. Overall, the goal of the weather forecast website or app should be to effectively communicate the weather information in a way that is easy for the viewer to understand and use, aligning with the principles of the apprehension principle.

Challenges

1. Context-specific: The effectiveness of the principle is dependent on the specific context in which it is applied. A visual display that is effective in one context may not be as effective in another context. The style of the display is dependent on the context and environment in which the display takes place. For example, the style of visual dimensions and animation presentation in the context of a kindergarten can be very different than in the context of an office.

2. Individual differences: The Apprehension Principle assumes that all viewers have similar cognitive abilities and limitations. However, this isn’t necessarily true. There are individual differences in how people perceive and process information, which could impact the effectiveness of the principle.

3. Culture and language: The principle assumes that all viewers have a similar cultural and linguistic background. However, differences in culture and language can impact the way in which people perceive and interpret visual displays. Displays with a certain set of characteristics may be easily apprehensible to people with a certain set of backgrounds but may not be as apprehensible for people with a different set of backgrounds.

4. Complexity: The principle may be less effective when dealing with complex or unfamiliar information. When displaying complex and unfamiliar information, the difficult nature of the information itself can cause difficulty for the viewer to accurately perceive and understand the visual display.

References

1. TVERSKY, B. A. R. B. A. R. A., MORRISON, J. U. L. I. E. B. A. U. E. R., & BETRANCOURT, M. I. R. E. I. L. L. E. (2002). Animation: Can it facilitate? International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 57(4), 247–262. https://doi.org/10.1006/ijhc.2002.1017

2. Cleveland, W. S., & McGill, R. (1983). A color-caused optical illusion on a statistical graph. The American Statistician, 37(2), 101. https://doi.org/10.2307/2685868

3. Wickens, C.D. and Hollands, J.G. (2000) Engineering Psychology and Human Performance. 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River.