The significance of the cartographic sign: influences of symbol shape on intuitive judgments

ABSTRACT

Some of the maps we encounter in our daily lives have become simpler and smaller, to the extent that they may employ only a single symbol to depict a particular incident. As maps and their symbols are never neutral, research on visual semiotics emphasizes the importance of exploring the implicit, connotative effects of signs on human responses. This study, therefore, aimed to assess the influence of simple monothematic web maps on map users’ judgments. It examined how the severity of negative geospatial events was perceived when represented by cartographic point symbols that varied in shape. In total, 72 maps (12 negative topics, each depicted by six map symbols) were rated by 82 participants. The results showed that asymmetric star symbols led to the highest estimates of the events’ perceived severity, followed by symmetric star symbols. Triangle and rhomb led to the lowest ratings. Circle and square showed the most variable results: they led to high and low ratings depending on the map topic. The findings demonstrate that map symbols influence how people imagine geospatial events. These findings call for a more vigorous focus on the connotative meanings of visual signs in cartographic research and practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Symbol shape
• connotation
• cartographic visualization
• thematic maps
• cartosemiotics

Acknowledgments

The author thanks Georg Gartner for supporting this research through insightful discussions. Appreciation also extends to Andrea Binn and Florian Ledermann for their support in reaching out to students. Special thanks to the anonymous reviewers who provided valuable feedback that significantly enhanced this manuscript. Sincere thanks are extended to taz Verlags- und Vertriebs GmbH and APA – Austria Presse Agentur eG for granting exclusive permission to use their online maps as third-party material in Figure 1 of this publication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Data availability statement

The participants in this study did not provide consent for the public sharing of their data. Consequently, the raw data cannot be made accessible.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15230406.2024.2334454