Abstract
Twenty-five symbols for fire-alerting, of which 22 were proposed by the International Organization for Standardization, were evaluated for 91 U.S. subjects. The purpose of the experiment was two-fold: 1) to determine the understandability of each symbol; and 2) to assess the effects of variations in both presentation and response methods upon the measurement of understandability. There was no significant effect of the mode of stimulus presentation: slides, placards, or booklets. The two response methods–providing a definition or selecting among choice alternatives (and providing confidence ratings for answers)–led to generally similar conclusions. Some serious problems in understandability and several dangerous confusions in meaning were identified for symbols proposed for international standardization.
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