Data is often more persuasive than it should be, especially when it looks good. In this event we watched the most beautiful data visualisations on the big screen of the cinema, and explored the idea that we’re not very good at critically reflecting on these images. We don’t speak the language of data visualisations well enough yet.
During these two evenings, in Utrecht and Amsterdam, the audience was part of a scientific experiment. Through an online system they could access on their mobile phone they could rate each video on two aspects: how attractive it was, and to what extent they thought it was truthful.
Both nights we found that the audience, who were unaware of the goal of the experiment, generally thought that more attractive aesthetics were also more trustworthy.
