Influence of Shape, Density, and Edge Crossings on the Perception of Graph Differences

The perception of differences between graphs represented as node-link diagrams is an important issue in many disciplines. This paper presents results from a study with 40 participants. The goal of the study was to test whether shape, density, and edge crossings of the graph influence the perception of differences between graphs and the order in which they are perceived. The participants worked under time constraints. Our results indicate that an increase in density lowers the recognition of differences while a newly introduced edge crossing helps to spot a change. Shape did not have a significant influence on the perception of differences.