Word Processing and Effects of Variability in Type Fonts

Abstract

Current models for reading words often assume the existence of features or shape characteristics for distinguishing one letter from another. However, the form of these features need not be invariant, particularly as one considers variations in type font or in handwriting. In this paper, we introduce the possibility of a two-level process with one level helping the viewer to identify the style or font being used at a given time. This first process leads to the activation of a decision tree that is specialized with respect to a particular set of characteristics while a second process makes use of this decision tree to identify the letter or word being presented. The results of an experiment designed to explore empirical implications of this two-level approach are described. Results are consistent with the model although additional experimentation is needed to explore more fully the implications for the processing of letters and words.