Thinking Graphically: Connecting Vision and Cognition during Graph Comprehension

Authors: Raj M Ratwani, J Gregory Trafton, Deborah A Boehm-Davis

Description:
Task analytic theories of graph comprehension account for the perceptual and conceptual processes required to extract specific information from graphs. Comparatively, the processes underlying information integration have received less attention. We propose a new framework for information integration that highlights visual integration and cognitive integration. During visual integration, pattern recognition processes are used to form visual clusters of information; these visual clusters are then used to reason about the graph during cognitive integration. In 3 experiments, the processes required to extract specific information and to integrate information were examined by collecting verbal protocol and eye movement data. Results supported the task analytic theories for specific information extraction and the processes of visual and cognitive integration for integrative questions. Further, the integrative processes scaled …

Article Link: http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA480055

How Does the Impact of Media Effect Freedom in Afghanistan?

     The media impact in the country of Afghanistan is beginning to grow, not only because they are considered a Third World Country, but because of their ongoing war and the public safety of their citizens. In 2010, the United Nations ranked Afghanistan 15^th on their list of countries with the lowest human development. Will the evolution of the Internet, radio, and television educate the population, or will it tighten the hold of the Afghanistan government?

Filtering the Internet

            In 2010, the Afghan government took control of the Afghan people by blacklisting websites that they deemed unethical, such as gambling and pornographic sites. Although these restrictions are fairly easy to break through using proxies, why then does the government block the Internet from citizens that are going to use it anyway? 

     These Internet regulations were created both to impose government control over the Afghanistan people, as well as block journalist from reporting the country’s news in a negative light. For example, the government ordered the shut down of a website that had falsely reported the death of the Afghanistan vice president. The Internet in any society is a dangerous tool in the eye’s of the government, on the other hand, it can be considered a useful tool as the Afghanistan people can research and gather together to overcome issues.

Revolutionizing radio broadcasts

     According to an Internews project on the media landscape in Afghanistan, 73 percent of the population uses a radio. The radio broadcasts are regulated by the Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA), which is responsible for issuing licenses, controlling activities, and creating standards for the equipment that is used. The ATRA is similar to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in America. While the country does have many issues with the government, it would seem as though they are taking positive steps towards supporting radio as a medium of communication.

Click here for an interactive map

     One such example is the convergence of different media to connect with radio broadcasts. Afghanistan’s most popular radio station, Radio Azadi, did just that. The radio station worked with a local mobile service provider in order to create a mobile news service that sends text messages to the user. This works both ways as the user can both send and receive photos, news, and video from the radio station. While this technology has already been used in the US for several years, the fact that a Third World Country is making successful strides towards new forms of communication shows that the citizens are willing to accept the immediacy of information.

Increased use of mobile devices and television

     Compared to the Internet and radio, television and mobile devices are the second and third most popular media devices in Afghanistan. Mobile phones have more users compared to televisions with 12.5 million of 27 million citizens subscribingfor cellular use. While television usage is least utilized technology at 45 percent of the people owning one, and 52 percent of those owners that say they never watch television.

Cynthia Schneider discusses the impact of television shows in developing countries

     In 2010, it had been eight and a half years since the United States led coalition forces to war with the Taliban. Since the war had started, the Afghanistan people had begun to use popular media in order to keep themselves knowledgeable about the progress of the war and the culture of Afghanistan. The Afghan Media Productions provides programming about the rich influential and historical aspects of Muslim culture to both the communities within Afghanistan and people around the world.

What is next

     The future of technology in Afghanistan is beginning to grow. Not only are people communicating through mobile devices and laptops, but countries are beginning to communicate to the public through the programs they air. The people of Afghanistan need to learn about how new technology (such as cell phones and laptops) can be used to connect citizens to their community as well as to their government. While politics may continue to censor and limit the ability of the Afghan people, I have a feeling that current media and evolving technology will lead to an increase in the efficiency and independence of individuals in Afghanistan.

"The FCC Won't Let Me Be" - Or Will They?

There are examples in mainstream media (such as music and television), that the FCC is suppressing our ability to express ourselves and our freedom of speech. But is that true? The famous rapper Eminem seems to be on the FCC’s most monitored list whenever he performs on TV or on public radio. This is primarily because of his extremely edgy and inappropriate lyrics that cause children’s parents to change the channel the minute he starts to speak. Because of our First Amendment Rights, don’t we have the right as citizens to speak our minds and not have the FCC control what media we produce? Or is the FCC considered the good guys, trying to protect our society from any anti-social or obscene material?

First, a little history of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC):

The FCC was created as an independent U.S. government agency overseen by Congress, and established as part of the Communications Act of 1934. Originally, the agency monitored primarily radio communications before the invention of the television became popular in the 1950’s. In 1949 there was close to one million television sets that were in use, and the question of ‘how the content was going to be regulated’ arose. The FCC had the right to restrict certain content, require fair and balanced political programming, censor offensive and obscene material, and make sure that a certain percentage of each broadcast week would be devoted to what is called “public use.”

Today, the FCC monitors radio, television, wire, satellite and cable broadcasts in all 50 states. Even though producers of media must go through the FCC to feed their content on the television and the radio, the FCC does not regulate the information posted on the internet. The FCC believes in the "Open Internet" rules, which makes sure that the internet remains:

“a powerful platform for innovation and job creation; to empower consumers and entrepreneurs; to protect free expression; to promote competition; to increase certainty in the marketplace by providing greater predictability for all stakeholders regarding federal policy in this area, and to spur investment both at the “edge,” and in the core of our broadband networks.” (FCC, 2012)

So, if the FCC was created for our protection and believes in the right to protect our freedom of expression, then why do media outlets disagree with how the FCC moderates broadcasts? One example, the FCC filed a complaint against four television programs stating that they contained profane material unacceptable for the airwaves. It all comes down to our First Amendment right to free speech. While the Supreme Court had defined what was considered "obscene,"the FCC gets to define was is considered “Indecent.” This is where many people disagree with the FCC as they have the power to fine broadcasters for what they define as indecent.

Is this fair to the broadcasters if their creativity is monitored and controlled by the government? I would say no. While the FCC works towards ensuring that the airwaves are clean of profanity for American citizens, the fine line between free speech and indecency gives the entertainment industry limitations when producing radio and television shows. While the FCC can revoke the license of a radio station that crosses the line (such as Howard Stern's fight with the FCC), the air waves are controlled by you and me. This means that while the FCC is here to protect us from the threat of indecency, it is our decision to choose what should be considered indecent. 

Filter Failure; Are We 'Overloaded?'

Society is becoming congested with a overload of information that is neither important nor critical to everyday life. Our ability to pick and choose what bits of information we are actually interested in and would like to expand on is being cluttered by the information that we have no need for.

Clay Shirky, an adjunct professor at NYU and an expert on interactive telecommunications, said at a presentation during the Web 2.0 Expo in 2008, that it is not that the amount information is growing out of control, but that our filters for managing the flow of information are failing – creating “filter failure.” This is evident primarily in social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, where people have a false impression of privacy.

Information overload does exist, and there will continue to be information overload whether we like it or not. Because of this ever increasing overload of information, it is important to consciously deal with how we filter what we need to know.

An easy way to do this is to type what is on your mind into a search engine such as Google or Yahoo. For example, when looking for instructions on how to restart an iPhone, there are certain keywords such as “restart” and “iPhone” that will return a search closer to what you’re looking for.

Another way to filter information is through the use of website settings and privacy policies. Facebook and Twitter are known for having privacy settings that can be personalized to your individual need of the user. This benefits the user by helping them have more control over who can visit and view their online profile.

Another means of controlling privacy settings is through the Google “Good to Know” website, which provides tips for staying safe online in addition to teaching users how to make websites more useful.

In order to confront the issue of filtering information, websites need to tailor the advice that pops up in searches based on the previous user searches or provide an “advanced search” option to help narrow the interests of the users.

One site that does this well is StumbleUpon. The site asks the user when they join to check boxes specific to their interests. The site will then search the web for information that matches those requirements.

Small changes like these to the way we use the web and organize information can not only increase productivity but increase our ability to effectively use the Internet.