Two studies on how a typeface congruent with content can enhance onscreen communication
- Richard L. Hazlett ,
- Kevin Larson ,
- A. Dawn Shaikh ,
- Barbara S. Chaparo
Information Design Journal | , Vol 20(3): pp. 207-219
In two studies we investigate the effects that typeface “personality” has on readers’ processing of affective information. In study 1, personality trait words were briefly shown in a typeface with a personality either congruent or incongruent to the word’s meaning. Readers were faster at an emotion lexical decision task with congruent typeface personalities than with incongruent typeface personalities. Study 2 briefly showed pages in varying fonts and found that readers’ snap judgements on emotional tone of the page were influenced by typeface personality. We conclude that readers can instantly process typeface personality and that typeface can affect onscreen affective processing.