Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Practical Methodology of Cognitive Tasks Within a Navigational Assessment
Published on: June 1, 2015
The relative effectiveness of symbols and words to convey photocopier functions
C Howard1, M W O'Boyle, V Eastman
1Iowa State University, Department of Psychology, Human Factors Research Group, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Abstract:
Two experiments have been conducted to examine preference patterns of inexperienced users for symbols intended to communicate photocopier functions and the relative effectiveness with which keywords, subject-generated symbols and industry symbols are matched to verbal descriptions of various photocopier operations. First, inexperienced photocopier users were asked to draw a set of symbols that they believed best represented 16 designated copier functions, and subsequently a second set of subjects compared these generated symbols with those currently used by the photocopier industry, and gave their preference. Inexperienced users generally preferred the subject-generated symbols, except for those involving the fairly complex 'sidedness' functions. Secondly, inexperienced users were asked to match keywords, generated symbols and industry symbols to verbal descriptions of the same 16 photocopier functions. Essentially, keywords and generated symbols did not differ in matching accuracy, while both were more accurately matched than industry symbols. However, the complexity of the photocopier function to be conveyed and the familiarity of the user with a given copier operation did produce several exceptions to this overall pattern. The results suggest that careful ergonomics research can produce symbols that are at least as effective as keywords in conveying photocopier functions. The universal nature of such symbols and their possibilities for cross-cultural use are also noted.
Related Concept Videos
Stereotype Content Model
Network Function of a Circuit
Design Example
Signal Flow Graphs
In a signal-flow graph, branches denote the system's transfer functions, while nodes represent the signals. The direction of signal flow is indicated by arrows, with the corresponding...
Encoding
Automatic processing involves the encoding of details like time, space, frequency, and the meaning of words, usually done without conscious...
Mnemonic Devices
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...

