Comparing Three-Dimensional Representations of Data to Scatterplots

Abstract

Jensen (1985) described a method for presenting data in a three-dimensional format that would typically be presented in a scatterplot. The present paper compared these two methods of presenting data. Twenty-four subjects, all of whom had completed an undergraduate class in statistics, were presented with sets of graphs depicting bi-variaté data that varied in correlation from about 0.0 to about .99. Three different data groups were depicted as both scatterplots and as three-dimensional graphs. Subjects rank ordered these sets of graphs on the basis of the degree of relationship present. For each set of graphs the order the subject chose was compared with the known order using Spearman's rho. In the early trials performance was better with the scatterplots, but by the last trial there was no difference between presentation methods for two out of the three data groups presented. The implications and limitations of these data are discussed.