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Abstract

The evaluation of current and potential traffic signs is necessary in order to ensure that the signs are effective. Laboratory studies are an important first step in evaluating current and potential traffic signs in order to minimize the risk and expense associated with field research. This paper describes the application of multidimensional scaling to traffic signs, a method that appears to be well suited for determining perceived traffic sign dimensions. In two studies subjects judged the similarity of all possible pairs of 16 traffic signs. Three interpretable dimensions were found. These dimensions, in order of extraction, were color/content, message form (pictorial vs. verbal), and shape. The validity of this research technique and the limitations of these research results are discussed.

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Determining Perceived Traffic Sign Dimensions with Multidimensional Scaling

Abstract

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References