Perception of traffic guidance signs containing conflicting symbol and direction information

Abstract

Information pictographs (airport and ski trail symbols) and corporate logos (Amtrak, Montreal Metro), all with directional quality were paired with route guidance arrows. The resulting signs were rated on semantic differential adjective scales. In addition, the response times to the same signs were measured.

Concordant signs, for which symbol and route arrow directions agree, were judged to be more clear, unified, valuable, and strong than signs using discordant symbols and arrows. Response times were slower for discordant airport and Amtrak signs than for the comparable concordant signs; however, concordance did not influence response times to the skier or the metro symbols. It was concluded that agreement between symbol and arrow direction is an important element in decreasing perceptual conflict within a sign. A second conclusion was that unless such agreement can be achieved, prominent arrowlike logos (e.g., Amtrak, airport) should be avoided in highway guidance signs because of their adverse effect on response times.

Keywords:

• Perceptual interference
• Traffic signs
• Direction information
• Reaction time
• Semantic differential