Citation

Karner C. Proc. Hum. Factors Ergon. Soc. Annu. Meet. 1975; 19(2): 227-231.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1975, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/154193127501900215

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Color-coding has become a widely-used method of information input coding. Unfortunately, little is known regarding general statements concerning under what conditions color-coding will facilitate performance. For this reason, a decision is often made on the basis of judgment if empirical data is not available.
The present study is designed to examine performance in a particular short-term memory task and to assess the actual value of color-coding in the task. This actual value is then compared to the participants' judgments of the value of color-coding in that task. The task required the subject to keep track of the current state of each of several variables. One group used a color-coding system while a second group did not. The results showed performance to be significantly better without color-coding; however, all subjects from each group in a post-test interview that they felt that color-coding would be beneficial. The implication is that humans may have rather poor insight regarding the facilitating effects of color-coding.

Language: en