This study tried to ascertain if the number and colour of advertisements placed near traffic signs produces a significant effect in identifying the traffic sign. 30 subjects were employed to run an experiment in which the distracting effect of advertisements was measured, using reaction time as a measure of perceptual performance. The data showed significant results of the number of advertisements and the colour contrast between the target sign and the advertisements. The authors found the existence of an inverse relation between the speed in identifying the target sign and the number of advertisements located in the scene. The reaction time when the isolated target sign was presented without advertisements was slower than when one, two or three advertisements were presented. Significant differences were also found among these conditions. The relation between the colour contrast and the reaction time showed that low colour contrast between the sign and the advertisements produced the slowest reaction times, however medium and high colour contrast caused faster reaction times. From this study practical conclusions can he drawn about localisation of objects next to signs. (Author/publisher)
Abstract