Effects of pictogram and typeface complexity on visual attention : eye-tracking study

Možina, Klementina (avtor), Kovačević, Dorotea (avtor), Buljat, Petra (avtor), Šarčević, Iva (avtor), Blaznik, Barbara (avtor), Medved, Tanja (avtor), Brozović, Maja (avtor)

This study investigated how congruence between pictogram complexity and typographic complexity influences visual processing and perceived appropriateness in multimodal communication. Drawing on theories of visual communication, legibility and aesthetic perception, the study examined whether simple or complex pictograms harmonise more effectively with sans-serif or serif typefaces. Ninety participants viewed stimuli from three thematic categories (cobbler, herbal pharmacy and gluten-free restaurant), while their eye movements were recorded using a Tobii Pro Fusion eye-tracking device. Measures included reading time, fixation count and saccade count, together with subjective evaluations of pictogram–typeface suitability. The results show that reading time was the most sensitive indicator of formal congruence. In the cobbler and gluten-free restaurant categories, simple pictograms increased reading time with sans-serif typography but decreased it with serif typography. In the herbal pharmacy category, simple pictograms and sans-serif typography independently supported faster reading performance. Subjective evaluations showed no significant differences between combinations, indicating that participants perceived all pairings as similarly appropriate despite measurable differences in processing efficiency. The findings suggest that the effectiveness of pictogram–typeface combinations depends on both formal complexity and thematic context. Eye-tracking proved valuable for revealing subtle cognitive processing differences not reflected in subjective judgements.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: appeal, eye-tracking, pictogram, typography, visual design
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: NTF - Naravoslovnotehniška fakulteta
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2026
• Št. strani: Str. 1-16
• Številčenje: Vol. 19, no. 4, art. 73
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-184606
• UDK: 655.24
• ISSN pri članku: 1995-8692
• DOI: 10.3390/jemr19040073
• COBISS.SI-ID: 284401667
• Datum objave v RUL: 13.07.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Journal of eye movement research
• Skrajšan naslov: J. eye mov. res.
• Založnik: European Group for Eye Movement Research, MDPI
• ISSN: 1995-8692
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3116656

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: privlačnost, sledenje očesnim premikom, piktogram, tipografija, vizualno oblikovanje

Projekti

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P2-0450-2024
• Naslov: Inovativna grafična tehnologija

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: BI-HR/25-27-018-2025
• Naslov: Vpliv kompleksnosti tipografije in piktogramov na uporabniško izkušnjo