Visual Search and Color Coding

Abstract

Several experiments were conducted to investigate the effects on search time of display and personnel characteristics. Search time increased by an order of magnitude when the number of display items of the target's color increased from one to the display density. Items not of the target's color affected search time to the extent that their color was similar to that of the target. The similarity of the colors was found to be well represented by a color difference calculation. The distribution on the display of target-colored items also affected search time. Personnel characteristics, including several measures of ability and experience, were unrelated to search speed.