PERCEIVED READABILITY OF WARNING LABELS WITH VARIED FONT SIZES AND STYLES

Warming readability is a major issue in the labeling of various consum er products. The purpose of the present research was to examine severa l variables that are associated with readability: font type, font weig ht, point size, and point size contrast between the signal word and th e main body of the warning (signal word-text size difference). A sampl e of 40 undergraduate students and 22 elderly persons rated 24 Ultra T ide detergent labels that contained a warning which varied across all levels of the type form variables. A composite variable ''perceived re adability'' was formed from the averaged ratings from questions regard ing how likely they would read the warning, its salience, and readabil ity. Results showed that Helvetica type was perceived to be more reada ble than Times or Goudy. Moreover, Times was perceived to be more read able than Goudy. Bold type was perceived to be more readable than roma n type. There was greater perceived readability of the warning when th e main body was printed in 10-point size when compared to 8-point size . Results also showed that a signal word-text size difference of 2 poi nts was perceived as more readable than a difference of 4 points. Impl ications for warning design are discussed.