地形高度的用色是地圖的重要設計元素之一，會影響讀圖者對區域的高度與地形認知理解。本文選用了兩種地圖學理論色彩、出版界常用兩種地形色彩與地圖集常用色彩，五種地圖色彩，分別搭配三個區域，共繪製十五張地圖來測試不同背景的讀圖者。試圖找出何種色彩系統是讀圖者比較偏好的？並能有效率地傳達正確的地形高？經由統計分析結果顯示，一般地圖集常用地形色彩還是最為被受測者接受，而地圖學理論中被認為最能表現暈渲法之地形色彩則最不受青睞。但是在地圖色彩的高度傳達效率表現上，與地圖色彩之偏好程度的測試結果略有出入，地圖學相關地形色彩以及地圖集常用色彩的表現在答對率與高度值上都有良好表現。此一研究結果也顯示出，不同色彩的視覺接受喜好程度與高度傳達效率之間具有差異性。

Hypsometric color is one of the most important cartographic design elements, and it affects regional height and terrain perception to map readers. In this paper, researcher used 15maps (5 hypsometric colors, and 3 different regions) to test the map readers with different backgrounds. By using visual research means, this paper attempts to find out the favorite and acceptable color type. What kind of hypsometric colors is the most attractive design to map readers? And more essentially, which one is more effective in transmitting landform and height information?. From the preliminary quantitative results suggested the color used in common atlas was the favorable color to the subjects. Nevertheless, the color combined with hillshading which originally assumed better feedback turned out to be in cheap preference. In the height information transmitting parts, however, the colors concerned cartography exhibited the better performances, both in the accuracy and value of height. The preliminary results showed the variation between acceptable degree of subjects and efficiency of height information transmitting in different hypsometric colors should not be ignored.