Saturday, December 5, 2015

The Daily Stat from Harvard Business Review

December 4, 2015

Chart of the Week: The Outsize Influence of a Graph


When research participants were shown information about a new drug, ostensibly developed by a pharmaceutical company, those who saw a version containing both text and a corresponding chart were 23% more likely to rate the drug as effective than those who saw the text only. "One of the most striking things about our results is that the graphs were simple to understand, and added nothing beyond the information that was provided in writing," writes behavioral economist Aner Tal on HBR.org about this study and others like it. "In other words, graphs do not need to be impressively complicated, or even informative, to have a persuasive effect." To wit:

Chart vs No Chart


To view, download, and share charts and graphics like this one, visit our Visual Library (sign-in required).




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