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arXiv · 2607.23369

Visualizing in the Mind's Eye: Icon Design Shapes Mental Imagery of Fire Risks

Wen Xu·Anjana Arunkumar·Lace M. Padilla
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Abstract

We introduce mental imagery, or seeing images in the "mind's eye," as a cognitive process that can be shaped by data visualization design and in turn impact decisions. We found in a preregistered study (n = 400) that abstract geometric icons visualizing fire risk data evoked more mental images than concrete house-on-fire icons, and also produced more diverse and personalized mental images. Mediation analysis showed that increased mental imagery subsequently led to risk-averse decisions through evoking negative affect. These findings reveal a nuanced mechanism through which visualization concreteness influences decisions: concrete designs may actually suppress affect-driven behavior by restricting mental imagery.

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Wen Xu, Anjana Arunkumar, Lace M. Padilla. 2026-07-25. Visualizing in the Mind's Eye: Icon Design Shapes Mental Imagery of Fire Risks. https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.23369

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