Relative Comprehensibility of Pictorial Information and Printed Words in Proceduralized Instructions

Abstract

A study was conducted to compare the relative comprehensibility of pictorial information and printed words in instructions. Six picture-word formats were examined using 24 procedural problems on three types of tasks. The formats were print-only, pictorial-only, pictorial-related print, print-related pictorial, pictorial-redundant print, and print-redundant pictorial. The results showed pictorial information important for speed but print information necessary for accuracy. Comprehension of instructions on all three tasks was most efficient with the pictorial-related print and pictorial-redundant print formats but could not be shown to be simply a function of number of visual information channels used or the degree of redundancy between channels. The type of information displayed in the visual channels was found to be important.