A proposal for the measurement of graphical statistics effectiveness: Does it enhance or interfere with statistical reasoning?

2014 Joint IMEKO TC1-TC7-TC13 Symposium: Measurement Science Behind Safety and Security

Agus, M.^1 ; Penna, M.P.^1 ; Peró-Cebollero, M.^2 ; Guàrdia-Olmos, J.^2

Department of Pedagogy Psychology Philosophy, Faculty of Humanistic Studies, University of Cagliari, Via Is Mirrionis 1, Cagliari

09123, Italy^1

Department of Methodology of the Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Pg. Vall d'Hebron 171, Barcelona

08035, Spain^2

关键词: Graphical format;    Statistical problems;    Statistical reasoning;    Task characteristics;    Visual representations;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/588/1/012040/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/588/1/012040

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

Numerous studies have examined students' difficulties in understanding some notions related to statistical problems. Some authors observed that the presentation of distinct visual representations could increase statistical reasoning, supporting the principle of graphical facilitation. But other researchers disagree with this viewpoint, emphasising the impediments related to the use of illustrations that could overcharge the cognitive system with insignificant data. In this work we aim at comparing the probabilistic statistical reasoning regarding two different formats of problem presentations: graphical and verbal-numerical. We have conceived and presented five pairs of homologous simple problems in the verbal numerical and graphical format to 311 undergraduate Psychology students (n=156 in Italy and n=155 in Spain) without statistical expertise. The purpose of our work was to evaluate the effect of graphical facilitation in probabilistic statistical reasoning. Every undergraduate has solved each pair of problems in two formats in different problem presentation orders and sequences. Data analyses have highlighted that the effect of graphical facilitation is infrequent in psychology undergraduates. This effect is related to many factors (as knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and anxiety); moreover it might be considered the resultant of interaction between individual and task characteristics.