The effect of map label language on the visual search of cartographic point symbols

ABSTRACT The present study aims to examine how the visual search for cartographic symbols is affected by the language of map labels. More specifically, we explore the influence of native language in the performance of a visual search map task which is referred to target point symbol detection. The main research hypothesis is that the relative position of the target symbols plays a significant role in the visual search process, although labels language impacts reaction time. In a controlled laboratory experiment with 38 participants and eye tracking technology, we used maps with labels in participants’ native language (Polish) and in Chinese, which participants could neither read nor write. We find that the detection of target symbols with Chinese labels is faster when the symbol’s location is peripheral. On the other hand, faster detection of target symbols with labels in participants’ native language favors central location. It turned out that having noticed the target symbol, participants fixated on the native language label. For Chinese labels, having seen the target symbol, participants did not fixate on the label. It also turned out that when participants searched for a target symbol located in the peripheral zone, more visual attention was in this zone. However, when the target symbol’s location was central, the participants’ visual attention focused mostly on the central zone. This confirms the significant role of the location of cartographic symbols in the visual search process.