Are visual representations always helpful in the communication of knowledge? Discuss with reference to the human sciences & mathematics

The purpose of knowledge is for it to be communicated and shared among communities and individuals as it is a crucial tool for human progress as it enables humans to make informed decisions and solve complex problems. This suggests that sharing knowledge is essential for societies to advance. First, we should explore the true meaning of knowledge and visual representations. Knowledge is facts, information, and skills gained by someone through experience or education. (Murray) Often visual representations, which are demonstrations of concepts and ideas accompanied by images or texts, are used to communicate knowledge as they can be considered as knowledge themselves and are evaluated based on their accuracy, effectiveness, and clarity. Communicating a message or intention with words alone can be difficult but if visual representations are incorporated, it allows the message to be received easier. However, this depends on if they are used and communicated successfully, if not they may not always be helpful. Visual representations are present in everyday life, numbers and words classify as visual representations because they define things for our understanding. The use of visual representations has been present since the earliest cave paintings to make sense of the world around us and to transfer our understanding to others. These visual representations were used to tell stories and record experiences before the evolution of written language.

 

Visual representations are often essential in the field of mathematics since they are used to convey complex concepts and skills to a variety of audiences, including students, teachers, researchers, and the public. However, they serve different purposes depending on how they are interpreted. In addition, visual representations are helpful in the field of human sciences, particularly economics. By using graphs, charts, and other visual representations, economists can communicate trends, relationships, and patterns that may not instantly be apparent from observing data. However, although visual aids can indeed be effective in many circumstances, there are some situations in which they might not be as helpful as other methods of communication might be. In some cases, visual aids might be misleading creating incorrect conclusions to be drawn from the data. This can occur when the visual representation is presented incorrectly or overly simplified. Although visual representations may be helpful tools in the communication of knowledge, their effectiveness is dependent on various factors such as the audience, the complexity of the topic, the reliability of the visual representation and the perception of the communication, as demonstrated in Economics and Mathematics.

 

Visual representations are not only useful but also necessary in the communication of knowledge. One of the major advantages of visual representations in mathematics is that they can provide a clear and concise method of understanding complex concepts that form part of mathematics. This is seen through the visual perception of third-dimensional objects. Three-dimensional objects are difficult to imagine when depicted on two-dimensional objects; however, one can get a glimpse of the third dimension through an optical illusion called the Necker curve. (Rowe) The Necker cube can be used to demonstrate the different perspectives of a visual representation because the cube can be seen as facing one of two possible directions. This visual representation aids in creating an intuition of considering multiple different perspectives when attempting to solve mathematical equations. In doing this, new insights and conclusions can be drawn for a problem. Although we do not consciously process the knowledge that is being communicated to us through the Necker cube, our brain processes this information due to the differing perspectives and perceptions of the two-dimensional image. While the cube helps knowledge to be communicated to people individually, it also highlights the subjective nature of perception meaning that one individual may perceive it differently from another. The Necker cube is useful for the understanding of mathematics since it aids in the understanding of three-dimensional space which is needed in many mathematical concepts such as vectors.

 

However, visual representations may not always be helpful due to the targeted audience. For example, visual representations in mathematics may not be highly accessible for visually impaired individuals because it is a language which consists of symbols and equations. The Nemeth Code is a special type of braille used for mathematical and scientific notation, which is always helpful in the communication of knowledge. It was developed by Dr. Abraham Nemeth who was blind as part of his doctoral studies in mathematics. (“What is Nemeth”) Mathematical concepts are often abstract and difficult to visualize which deems them difficult to comprehend. For visually impaired individuals, this comprehension barrier is due to the lack of visual cues. However, the Nemeth Code allows them to touch mathematical symbols and graphs, providing physical representation which aids in conceptualizing and explanation, this code allows equations and symbols to be conveyed with a similar level of precision and accuracy as visual representations, allowing for equal access to knowledge for everyone. However, not all concepts can be easily represented through braille since the complexity of some diagrams may be difficult to translate into a tactile representation and not all information is suitable to be presented visually due to its complexity. The Nemeth Code does not classify as a visual representation since it is a tactile code, and it does not rely on visual perception of information. Therefore, visual representations are not always helpful in the communication of knowledge.

 

Regarding the human sciences, economics makes use of visual diagrams since they are often essential for effectively explaining and proving relationships between factors. Arthur Laffer introduced the ‘Laffer Curve’ which is a graphical representation that shows the relationship between tax rates and government revenue. (Hayes) The Laffer Curve is used to simplify a complex theory that is based on the principle that as tax rates increase, government revenue will also increase, but only up until a certain point but beyond that point, higher tax rates will lead to a decrease in government revenue, as people may make the choice to evade taxes since they are too high, or they will relocate to another country with lower tax rates. The Laffer Curve helps to portray this theory in a simple way, but it is not intuitive. Furthermore, this curve objectifies conventional ways of thinking and preconceived notions about taxation. For individuals who do not study economics, this curve might be slightly confusing because the curve solely presents the abnormal relationship between taxes and revenue but does not provide an explanation or the consequences. This is validated because critics argue that the Laffer curve is too simplistic. (Hayes)

 

Nonetheless, visual representations are not always helpful in the communication of knowledge in relation to the human sciences due to their validity. In psychology, visual representations are often used to aid in the process of assessing and diagnosing a patient. For example, the Rorschach Inkblot Test (RIT) is a projective psychological test in which subjects’ perception of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed to examine a person’s personality characteristics and emotional functioning. (“Rorschach Test”) However, there are doubts regarding its validity. The RIT involves problems with the standardization of the test. The test involves the patient describing what they see in ambiguous inkblot images (Cherry), however, these images may be presented to the patient in contrasting ways by the practitioner such as varying the orientation, size, and order that they are presented in. This could lead to inconsistent results which means that the test might not always provide accurate information, which hinders its effectiveness for communicating knowledge since the patient could be falsely diagnosed. Furthermore, the RIT can be exposed to misinterpretation and biases since the specialist may have preconceived perceptions about the outcome of the test which would influence their interpretation of the patient’s response. This later leads to inaccurate conclusions being made, which counteracts the claim that visual representations are always helpful in the communication of knowledge. In certain situations, such as this one, a verbal or written explanation may be more effective at communicating knowledge than through the use of visual representations. In addition, the patient’s responses may be influenced by various factors such as their mood at the time of taking the test which would influence their results based on the timing, this could reveal an inaccurate truth about that person.

 

In conclusion, visual representations can be helpful in the communication of knowledge, as seen with the Necker cube and the Laffer Curve, however, they are not without limitations. Thus, although visual representations can be useful in the communication of knowledge, this is not always the case. This is because visual representations allow scope for misinterpretation due to various factors such as the audience, the complexity of the topic, the reliability of the visual representation and the perception, as seen with the Nemeth Code and the Rorschach Inkblot Test.

Cherry, Kendra. "What Is the Rorschach Inkblot Test?" Verywellmind, 6 Nov. 2022, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-rorschach-inkblot-test-2795806. Accessed 15 Feb. 2023.

 

Hayes, Adam. "Laffer Curve: History and Critique." Investopedia, 26 Jan. 2023, www.investopedia.com/terms/l/laffercurve.asp. Accessed 15 Feb. 2023.

 

Murray, Dom. "The Difference between Knowledge and Skills." Go1, 22 May 2017, www.go1.com/blog/post-difference-knowledge-skills. Accessed 14 Feb. 2023.

 

"Rorschach Test." Wikipedia, 11 Jan. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorschach_test. Accessed 15 Feb. 2023.

 

Rowe, Chip. "A Travel Guide for the Fourth Dimension." Nautilus, 15 Oct. 2015, nautil.us/a-travel-guide-for-the-fourth-dimension-235660/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2023.

 

"What Is Nemeth Code?" The Alliance for Access to Computing Careers, www.washington.edu/accesscomputing/what-nemeth-code. Accessed 14 Feb. 2023.