Affective Data Visualization: A Preliminary Study

- Manipulating Emotions with Data Visualizations -

Abstract

This paper details the findings of a study that was conducted to explore how data visualizations could be used to get a targeted emotional response. In total, there were ten original graphs created that were then manipulated in some manner to attain another emotional response, giving the study twenty graphs. The study was conducted in an electronic survey format. Characteristics examined were color choices, font type, and scale. Faculty and students of Eastern Washington University were asked to partake in the survey. We found that it was possible to affect the emotional responses to a graph by changing the colors. Changing the font and scale of the graphs did not yield significant results.