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Informative data visualization with raincloud plots in JASP

delete2025-08-18
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OA
AI
V
Vincent Leonard Ott *
D
Don van den Bergh
B
Bruno Boutin
J
Johnny van Doorn
F
Frantis̆ek Bartos̆
N
Nicholas Judd
J
Jordy van Langen
L
Luke Korthals
R
Rogier Kievit
L
Laura Groot
E
Eric‐Jan Wagenmakers
DOI:10.3758/s13428-025-02773-5delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Proper data visualization helps researchers draw correct conclusions from their data and facilitates a more complete and transparent report of the results. In factorial designs, so-called raincloud plots have recently attracted attention as a particularly informative data visualization technique; raincloud plots can simultaneously show summary statistics (i.e., a box plot), a density estimate (i.e., the cloud), and the individual data points (i.e., the raindrops). Here we first present a ‘raincloud quartet’ that underscores the added value of raincloud plots over the traditional presentation of means and confidence intervals. The added value of raincloud plots appears to be increasingly recognized: a focused literature review of plots in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review shows that 9% of plots in 2023 were raincloud plots. Another 29% of plots (vs. 2% in 2013) contained individual data points (i.e., raindrops), indicating a strong trend towards transparent and informative data visualization. To further encourage this trend and make raincloud plotting easy and practical for a broader group of researchers and students, we implemented a comprehensive suite of raincloud plots in JASP, an open-source statistics program with an intuitive graphical user interface. Examples from two factorial research designs illustrate how the JASP raincloud plots support a correct and comprehensive interpretation of the data.
Keywords:
Anscombe’s quartet
Good research practices
Statistical software

Journal

Behavior Research Methods cover
Behavior Research Methods
IF:
3.9
Papers:
677
Citations:
3.6W

Organization

D
donders institute
Scholars:
23
Papers: 8
Citations: 0
D
Department of Psychological Methods
Scholars:
16
Papers: 5
Citations: 0