How different presentation modes of graphical icons affect viewers’first fixation and attention

Abstract

This study aimed to explore how different presentation modes of graphical icons affect the viewer’s attention. The relevant experiment was designed to investigate three main variables: icon composition, polarity, and border. Through permutation and combination, six presentation modes were obtained as follows: line + positive polarity + border (M1), plane + positive polarity + border (M2), line + negative polarity + border (M3), plane + negative polarity + border (M4), line + positive polarity + no border (M5), and plane + positive polarity + no border (M6). Thirty-six participants were required to watch thirty stimuli, or graphical icons, presented concurrently in six abovementioned modes. The number of first fixations was recorded by eye-trackers; meanwhile, subjective evaluation of attention was conducted and analyzed. As indicated by the experimental results, the icons presented in M4 attracted the most attention; in contrast, the icons presented in M5 attracted the least attention. The findings herein can be used as a reference by interface designers while icons are being designed.