Data visualizations and graphs are increasingly common in both scientific and mass media settings. While graphs are useful tools for communicating patterns in data, they also have the potential to mislead viewers. In five studies, we provide empirical evidence that y-axis truncation leads viewers to perceive illustrated differences as larger (i.e., a truncation effect). This effect persisted after viewers were taught about the effects of y-axis truncation and was robust across participants, with 83.5% of participants across these 5 studies showing a truncation effect. We also found that individual differences in graph literacy failed to predict the size of individuals’ truncation effects. PhD students in both quantitative fields and the humanities were susceptible to the truncation effect, but quantitative PhD students were slightly more resistant when no warning about truncated axes was provided. We discuss the implications of these results for the underlying mechanisms and make practical recommendations for training critical consumers and creators of graphs.

数据可视化和图表在科学和大众媒体环境中越来越普遍。虽然图表是传达数据模式的有用工具，但它们也有可能误导观众。在五项研究中，我们提供了经验证据，表明 y 轴截断导致观众将图示差异视为更大（即截断效应）. 在向观众介绍 y 轴截断的影响后，这种影响仍然存在，并且在参与者中很有效，这 5 项研究中有 83.5% 的参与者表现出截断效应。我们还发现，图形素养的个体差异无法预测个体截断效应的大小。定量领域和人文学科的博士生都容易受到截断效应的影响，但当没有提供关于截断轴的警告时，定量博士生的抵抗力略强。我们讨论了这些结果对底层机制的影响，并为培训关键的消费者和图表创建者提出了实用的建议。