How Do Texture and Color Communicate Uncertainty in Climate Change Map Displays? (Short Paper)

We report on an empirical study with over hundred online participants where we investigated how texture and color value, two popular visual variables used to convey uncertainty in maps, are understood by non-domain-experts. Participants intuit denser dot textures to mean greater attribute certainty; irrespective of whether the dot pattern is labeled certain or uncertain. With this additional empirical evidence, we hope to further improve our understanding of how non-domain experts interpret uncertainty information depicted in map displays. This in turn will allow us to more clearly and legibly communicate uncertainty information in climate change maps, so that these displays can be unmistakably understood by decision-makers and the general public