A Psychology of Visualization or (External) Representation?

TL;DR

This paper advocates for establishing Visualization Psychology as an interdisciplinary field by focusing on external representations, emphasizing their role in communication, conceptualization, and as artifacts of study.

Contribution

It proposes defining external representations as the core focus for a new interdisciplinary research program in visualization psychology.

Findings

External representations are fundamental to communication and understanding.

A new research framework for visualization psychology is proposed.

The paper emphasizes the importance of artifacts in the study of visualization.

Abstract

What is a visualization? There is limited utility in trifling with definitions, except insofar as one serves as a tool for communicating and conceptualizing our subject matter; a statement of identity for a community. To establish Visualization Psychology as a viable inter-disciplinary research programme, we must first define the object(s) of our collective inquiry. I propose that while we might refer to the study of "visualization" for the term's colloquial accessibility and pragmatic alignment with other fields, we should consider for exploration a class of artifacts and corresponding processes more expansive and profound: external representations. What follows is an argument for the study of external representation as the foundation for a new interdisciplinary endeavor, and approach to mapping the corresponding problem space.