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Citizen science with colour blindness: A case study on the Forel-Ule scale
Olivier Burggraaff1,2, Sanjana Panchagnula1,3, Frans Snik1
1Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Plos One
|April 19, 2021
Summary
Color blindness significantly impacts citizen science data accuracy, affecting up to 1 in 11 people. Solutions include uncertainty estimates and inclusive training to improve data quality and participation.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Citizen Science
- Human Factors
Background:
- Citizen science projects often rely on visual assessments, such as water quality monitoring using color scales.
- Color vision deficiency affects a significant portion of the population (up to 1 in 11 participants).
Purpose of the Study:
- To simulate and quantify the impact of color blindness on measurements using the Forel-Ule scale.
- To assess how color vision deficiency affects the precision and accuracy of citizen science data.
Main Methods:
- Simulated various forms of color blindness.
- Analyzed the Forel-Ule scale, a 21-color standard for water color measurement.
- Quantified changes in color discriminability.
Main Results:
- Color blindness reduced median discriminability between Forel-Ule colors by up to 33%.
- Several Forel-Ule color pairs became indistinguishable for color-blind individuals.
- Decreased data precision and accuracy were observed.
Conclusions:
- Color blindness poses a significant challenge to the reliability of color-based citizen science data.
- Recommendations include incorporating uncertainty estimates and addressing color blindness in training materials.
- Inclusive practices enhance both the social and scientific impact of citizen science initiatives.
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