圖形外形特徵數量與簡化程度之認知研究

The Relationship between Shape Features and Degrees of Graphic Simplification

簡化一直是視覺設計上很重要的手法，設計師常利用簡化手法從對象物的眾多訊息中萃取重要特徵。藝術學、完形學派以及認知心理學的研究都認為簡化圖形的簡潔與抽象性，有利於記憶或提取。人對於圖形簡化程度的認知受到外形特徵數量的影響，然而，過去的研究並未明確定義兩者之間的關係。因此本研究主要目的有兩點：（1）從圖形外形特徵數量預測觀者對簡化程度的認知；（2）討論圖形簡化程度與觀者偏好之間的關係。 本研究以108個外形特徵數量定義明確的線條圖形為受測樣本，請60名受測者針對這些圖形的簡化程度做李克式量表評估，以瞭解觀者對於這108個圖形的簡化程度認知。所得數據利用迴歸分析，可得到圖形簡化程度之迴歸方程式為4.724-0.005（整體節點量）-0.131（部件元素量）。 此外，本研究也利用迴歸分析，從圖形簡化程度預測觀者偏好。若將設計和非設計背景人士之偏好分開來做探討，結果會發現設計人士的偏好與簡化程度之間的關係呈現「倒U型」曲線；非設計人士則是偏好越完整且細節較多的圖形，因此偏好與簡化程度呈現「直線」的負相關。 本研究提出明確的簡作操作與數值並不試圖取代設計的創意性，而是希望透過這些預測方法提供設計師評估圖形簡化時的參考與建議。 本研究也希望能作為未來電腦輔助圖形應用或者圖形簡化測量的基礎。

Simplification is one of the most important methods in visual design. Designers often use it to extract significant features from subject. Studies from Art, Gestalt theory, Cognitive psychology have proposed that the concise and abstract properties of simplified graphics facilitate our memory and recall. However, these studies didn't clearly define the relationship between the quantity of shape elements and the degree of simplification. This study used 108 graphics as stimuli. A Likert-type scale was applied to rate the degree of simplification of each stimulus, and 60 subjects were invited to participate in an experiment. Then, by utilizing the regression analysis, the quantitative description of the external shape and the assessment of the degree of simplification would yield the formula defined as 'Graphic Simplification Degree=4.724-0.005 （overall node quantity） -0.131 （shape element quantity）'. Next, the differences between designers and non-designers in the preferences over the degree of graphic simplification are discovered. Designers' preference and degree of simplification presents an inverted U curve relationship, while non-designers exhibit a linear correlation. This study has proposed a clear operational definition and numerical values of graphic simplification while not attempting to replace the creativity of the design. Through these prediction methods, references and recommendations can be provided to the designers when assessing the graphics. Moreover, the study is desired to be established as the fundamentals for the quantitative descriptions of the computer-aided graphic application and further research.