Close Cousins: Visual Literacy and Graphic Literacy as Necessary Skills for the 21st Century

 

Photo Credit: Lilian Hill

By Lilian H. Hill

Our world is awash in signage and graphic images. Every day we are assaulted with a variety of images that include direction signs, instructions, framed images in our offices and homes, and advertising. This has been true for some time, but the volume and variety of visual and graphic images have increased tremendously in recent years.

 

It is not hard to see why. With the advent of personal photography and the rapid adoption of personal smartphones, anyone can take photos. High-speed wireless networks that can accurately transmit visual images, decreased data costs, and the presence of multiple social media platforms with which to share images enable people to more easily share and consume visual images (Kane & Pear, 2016). Graphics are used in marketing because they attract attention and enhance credibility. People are better able to retain visual information and images may be stored in long-term memory more easily than text (Kane & Pear, 2016).

 

Consumers are more likely to purchase a product that they can see (DesignHill, 2023). We are exposed to so many visual images and graphics that there are times when it becomes difficult to find the information we want among the visual clutter or “noise.”

 

According to the American Library Association (2011), “the importance of images and visual media in contemporary culture is changing what it means to be literate in the 21st century” (para. 1). The ubiquitous presence of images and availability of media that make it possible for everyone to create images, does not imply that people are equipped to interpret the meaning of images with a critical view.

Graphic Literacy

Graphic literacy refers to the ability of individuals to interpret information portrayed in graphs, tables, and charts. Writers often use these types of visual aids to help readers understand, interpret, and remember complex data. Graphic literacy involves our ability to: 

 

1.     locate and extract information from a chart.

2.     understand the information from the context provided in the chart.

3.     make meaning of information in the graph.

4.     apply the information gained from the chart or graph to make predictions. 

 

Examples of common graphics include tables, pie charts, bar graphs, line graphs, maps, coordinate graphs with x and y axes, decision trees, Venn diagrams, or concept maps. Other examples include floor plans, organizational charts, and work schedules. Many graphics will contain a legend that explains what symbols used in the chart are intended to mean. 

 

It is much easier to understand big-picture data than to gather details from a graphic. For example, statistical data can be dull and hard to read in sentences and paragraph form, so writers often use tables, charts, or graphs to communicate the results of a study. This helps readers to scan and interpret data more easily and quickly. However, it is important to know that readers should not rely solely on the data represented in a visual because some information may have been omitted to improve comprehension or to save space. That is why it is also important to read the text that explains the graphic.

 

Infographics

Graphics are sometimes called infographics, and they are a great way to represent information in a visual way. An infographic uses a combination of “information” and “graphic.” The infographic is a specific type of visual communication that includes graphics showing data, copy, or both. An Infographic is a collection of imagery that is often striking and eye-catching. They use only minimal text which is why it is important to read the text that accompanies the infographic. Infographics can be great learning tools because information is conveyed as both words and as visual images, thereby activating multiple neural pathways simultaneously.

 

Most of us learned the basics of reading and creating tables and simple graphs in math courses in school and college. More innovative charts include bubble charts, map charts, donut charts, gauge charts, geo charts, and many others. Software applications make it possible for even basic computer users to create sophisticated looking charts. Graphic tools built into Excel, Word, Google Sheets and other platforms are only the beginning. Google Charts contains 30 categories of charts you can use to create graphics. In addition, there are applications that will allow you to create a variety of graphic products such as Canva.com.

 

Graphic Examples

Beyond the basics of tables and graphs that people learn during their school years, several new graphic examples have been appearing in recent years. For example, a bubble chart is an extension of a traditional scatterplot; the size of the bubble represents the strength of the data related to each issue measured. The example below mixes a traditional table with a bubble chart. The bubbles represent the number of times political candidates 1, 2, and 3 mentioned an issue during an imaginary political campaign. The graphic does not represent what each politician said about the issues, whether the views they expressed about the issues were positive or negative, or whether their statements aligned with voters’ political views. It simply gives you an idea of the proportionate attention they gave to each of the issues listed in the left-hand column. From a graphic like the one below, you can quickly assess whether the candidates’ interests are parallel to your own, but you cannot ascertain their viewpoints. This example clearly demonstrates the importance of being aware of the capabilities and limitations of different types of graphic forms.

Frequency of Topic References

Image Credit: Lilian Hill

 

Some graphics forms such as concept mapping and mind mapping have specific software applications that can be downloaded and used, sometimes for free. The Sports Categorization Concept Map below was created using CMapTools, a software product used to create concept maps and it can accommodate both images and HTML links.

Concept Map Categorizing Sports (created in CMapTools)

Image Credit: Lilian Hill

The example below is of a decision tree related to the decision of whether to adopt a cat and the contextual issues that might be considered. 

 

Decision Tree for Cat Adoption

Image Credit: Lilian Hill

 

 

References

American Library Association. (2011). ACRL Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Retrieved from https://alair.ala.org/handle/11213/17223

DesignHill (2022, October 3). Top 7 Reasons why visual content will dominate in 2023. Retrieved  https://www.designhill.com/design-blog/reasons-why-visual-content-will-dominate/

Kane, G. C., & Pear, A. (2016, January 4). The Rise of Visual Content Online. MITSloan Management Review. Retrieved https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-rise-of-visual-content-online/

 

 

 

Living in a Visual World: Visual Literacy

 

Picture credit: Lilian Hill

By Lilian H. Hill

Humans are a visual species, which is beneficial in a world dominated by images. The human brain can recognize a familiar object within 100 milliseconds, so when we see a picture, we are quick to analyze it. Bright colors capture our attention because our brains are wired to react to them. Our visual senses are by far our most active of the senses. Ninety percent of the information transmitted to the brain is visual. Visual images are processed in our brain 60,000 times faster than text (Trafton, 2014).

In addition to reading text, humans "read" visual information every day in traffic signs, pictographs, internet icons, in GPS maps, and many other symbols we see often. We easily make sense of them, even when they are presented in an unusual way. For example, once you learn the symbols for the male and female restrooms, we easily understand symbols that use centaurs for the men’s room and mermaids for the women’s room. Remember that the printed word is a symbol that represents language and language represents human experience. In the same way that written words are symbols, sports logos, road signs, thermometers, clocks, smartphones, and GPS maps are all symbols that we have learned to interpret.  

 

Visual Literacy

Visual literacy is the ability to read "visual text" effectively to find, interpret, evaluate, use, and create images and visual media. To be considered visually literate, people must have the ability to understand, appreciate, and create visual images and symbols to comprehend and share information. For example, is the danger in the image above from the octopus' arms or the manhole cover? Is an octopus really trying to escape?

 

Use Of Visuals

Visuals are used online and in print materials to capture viewers’ attention, to make text more interesting to read, tell a story, and improve readers' understanding of what they are reading. They are used in stories, movies, television, print advertisements, billboards, signage, video games, informational videos, blog posts, and social media. Advertisers carefully study about what best captures viewers’ attention. The material that best attracts viewers’ attention and is most likely to prompt action is content with low cognitive demand and high clarity (Hernandez, 2021).

 

Optical Illusions

Despite our strong visual senses, the human eye can be fooled or tricked. Think of the common visual illusions such as the two portraits that can also be a vase, or the portrait of the old woman that can also be viewed as a young woman. For the image below, did you see the butterfly first or the multiple profiles?

 

Photo Credit: Unsplash

 

Altered Images

Have you ever taken a photo and edited it on your phone? If so, you understand how pictures can be easily changed to convey different meanings. Even the tone of a picture can create different meanings.  Consider the three images of dried flowers below. It is the same picture, but the colors used can really change emotional reactions to an image. The center image is the actual, unretouched photo, the left-hand image is in black and white, and the right-hand image has pink overtones. Consider how your mood changes when viewing the three images. 

 

Photo credit: Lilian H. Hill

 

One way that images can be altered relates to the way they are located in a photo. A close-up view reveals a lot of details about an object while a more distant view provides information about the context about where an object is placed, and its relative size compared to other objects. We can be fooled into thinking that an object is larger or smaller than it is in real life. 

 

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Some technologies, such as Photoshop, can produce visual images that cannot happen in real life. A good example is the image above of the large man "high-fiving" the tiny woman. Many advertisements alter their images to make products look better. They may change the lighting, use filters, or even fake a product. Did you know that the whipped cream you see in advertisements is really shaving cream? Shaving cream is used because it withstands heat better than whipping cream under hot studio lights.  If you try an internet search for “badly photoshopped images,’ the results can be entertaining. Next time you see an advertisement, ask yourself is the model’s waist really that small, are her legs that long, is her skin that fantastic? Are his shoulders really that broad, is he really that tall or muscular? Where did that extra hand come from? 

 

Visual Image Standards

It is interesting to look at the Associated Press standards for visual images which are copied below. The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit new agency headquartered in New York City. It operates as an independent organization dedicated to promoting truth in the press. Its membership is composed of U.S. newspapers and broadcasters. It produces news reports, radio broadcasts, and images that are distributed nation-wide and globally. The standard are below.

 

1. AP visuals must always tell the truth.
2. We do not alter or digitally manipulate the content of a photograph in any way. Changes in density, contrast, color and saturation levels that substantially alter the original scene are not acceptable.
3. Backgrounds should not be digitally blurred or eliminated by burning down or by aggressive toning. The removal of “red eye” from photographs is not permissible.
4. We do not stage, pose or re-enact events.
5. When we shoot video, environmental portraits, or photograph subjects in a studio care should be taken to avoid misleading viewers to believe that the moment was spontaneously captured in the course of gathering the news.
6. In the cases of portraits, fashion or home design illustrations, any intervention should be revealed in the caption and special instructions box so it can’t be mistaken as an attempt to deceive.
   

 

Source: https://www.ap.org/about/news-values-and-principles/telling-the-story/visual

References

Hernandez, S. (2021, October 25). How to get the most visual attention on your content. Retrieved https://www.socialmediatoday.com/spons/how-to-get-the-most-visual-attention-on-your-content/608678/

Trafton, A. (2014, January 16). In the blink of an eye: MIT neuroscientists find the brain can identify images seen for as little as 13 milliseconds. MIT News, Retrieved https://news.mit.edu/2014/in-the-blink-of-an-eye-0116