Interpretability of graphic symbols as a function of context and experience factors

Abstract

10 of the graphic symbols for vehicle and equipment operation developed by an industrial design firm were tested for ease of interpretation in context and in isolation. Ss were 30 male mechanical engineering students who differed in their extent of familiarity with such equipment. As hypothesized, the symbols were more often correctly identified in context and by Ss with relevant prior experience. Symbols maintained the same relative order of difficulty under both context and no-context conditions, a difficulty which ranged from 100% correct responses to only a few correct responses. It is concluded that empirical validation of effectiveness is a necessary, although often neglected, step in the symbol development process. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)