If this is correct, no simple elaboration of contour lines will help the map reader unless it gives contours the conspicuity which layer tint colours have in peripheral vision. Layer Tints Map reading tests were used to compare four types of layer tinting for use in school atlases. An experimental investigation of layer tints for relief maps in school atlases. Judgements of absolute height were carried out more accurately on the spectral maps, but judgements of relative height were better with the tonal maps. Other questions involving the map base and visualisation of the relief showed no reliable differences between the maps.
Spectral schemes have the disadvantage that colours are difficult to order correctly.
The problem with tonal schemes is that colours are often hard to discriminate. Innovative design may overcome both these problems but given the alternatives considered here, the tonal maps seem preferable as relative height is more important than absolute height for children using atlases. Abstract - This paper considers the use of tests of performance based upon map readers' speed and accuracy to evaluate relief maps. It briefly discusses some results which have been obtained from this approach. The process of creating a mental image from a relief map is seen as a data reduction task with the greatest information load occurring in the early stages of visual processing.