Thesis

Exploring perceptual speed, and the effects of visual clutter, during interactive information retrieval

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Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2023
Thesis identifier
  • T16905
Person Identifier (Local)
  • 201960795
Qualification Level
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Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • Perceptual Speed (PS) is a cognitive ability defined by an individual’s accuracy and speed to scan information while completing visual search tasks. Prior studies using PS tests have demonstrated that PS affects multiple factors in Interactive Information Retrieval (IIR), such as users with Low-PS achieving worse search performance, increased time spent completing tasks, and perceiving more negative experiences. However this thesis systematically analyses how PS tests have been used in IIR, and identifies multiple problems with their reliability and validity; both in their measurement, and the overall results known in previous literature. Consequently, from a range of challenges and recommendations discussed, this thesis details the design process for creating new PS tests and implements the new tests alongside an experiment. The experiment was designed to better understand PS during IIR, through manipulating the presence of, and type, of visual clutter visible during a search. Specifically, users were required to find relevant information on an IIR system, across 4 different interfaces which varied: clutter that was absent; congruent with the task; incongruent with the task; or a mixture of both. In all conditions, the type of clutter was operationalised through visible advertisements. The results indicated that users with Low-PS were significantly negatively affected when clutter was present, as opposed to absent. These differences were most prominent when clutter was incongruent. In contrast, users with High-PS performed their best, both objectively and subjectively, when incongruent clutter was visible. Overall, these findings suggest that visual clutter can significantly impact the efficiency of information retrieval depending on a user’s PS. These results have implications for the design of displays and interfaces, emphasizing the importance of altering the visible visual clutter to improve the accuracy, speed, and user experience of information processing for users with different perceptual abilities.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Ruthven, Ian, 1968-
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