Graphic displays: the effects of orientation on the tangible perception ofhistograms and pie charts

Two studies designed to investigate the ability of blind subjects to interp ret tangible graphic displays of data at varying degrees of orientation are reported. In the first experiment visually handicapped children were requi red to interpret histograms and pie charts presented at two different orien tations. Horizontally oriented histograms were found to have a significant advantage over vertically oriented histograms, but there was no effect of o rientation on pie charts. In the second study horizontally and vertically o riented histograms were again compared using a subject sample comprised onl y of congenitally or very early blind children. The results confirmed the s uperiority of horizontally presented histograms over the more common vertic al display.