RECOGNITION TIME OF ROTATED PICTOGRAPHIC SYMBOLS FOR AUTOMOBILE CONTROLS

A laboratory experiment was conducted to examine certain aspects of the recognition problem when the knob on which the pictogram appears is rotated. Ten subjects made timed same-different responses to three pairs of standard control symbols differing in orientation. The time required for mental rotation for all symbols was found to be a linear function of angle. The mean rate of rotation was 130 degrees per second. Since the expected time for this added mental operation is nontrivial, the time available to survey the road ahead is reduced. Consequently, the probability of missing an accident-generating hazard is increased. It is therefore suggested that the symbol standards be modified to require symbols to be displayed only in their perceptually upright positions.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1800052
• Corporate Authors:

  National Safety Council

  425 North Michigan Avenue
  Chicago, IL  United States  60611
• Authors:
  • Green, P
  • Davis, G
• Publication Date: 1976-12

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 180-183
• Serial:
  • Journal of Safety Research
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0022-4375
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00224375

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobile drivers; Automobiles; Control; Drivers; Instrument panels; Laboratory studies; Reaction time; Testing; Traffic crashes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00164958
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 18 1978 12:00AM