Recall vs. Recognition and Task Specificity in Cartographic Psychophysical Testing

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Abstract
Cartographers have employed psychophysical testing to determine the average map reader's reactions to the sizes or values of circles, dots, graytones, and patterns. But within the testing procedures themselves there are numerous variables that affect results. Two of these variables are examined here: (a) task specificity and (b) whether the response requires recognition or recall. Ninety-six subjects were given one of three instructional levels and were tested on their ability either to recall or recognize a mapped circle pattern. The results, based on several statistical methods, indicate that there is indeed a significantly large difference between recall and recognition and a smaller but nonetheless significant difference (on some tests) between very specific and nonspecific instructional sets for recall. Recognition results were affected by a few extreme responses and no significant differences between instructional sets could be detected on the recognition tests.

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