Icon concreteness effect on selection speed and accuracy

Abstract

The purpose of this research is studying the interaction of icon concreteness and response time in a sample of experienced users of a popular real-world software program (n = 100 users). The research used an experimental approach, with three trials of six icons each (three abstract and three concrete icons), for a total of 1800 trials. The results showed that reaction times were similar for concrete and abstract icons. However, response accuracy was different. While accuracy of fast reactions (3 seconds or less) was similar, a chi-square analysis showed statistically significant differences in accuracy for the three longer reaction times (4-6 seconds, 7-9 seconds, and 9+ seconds) (p < 0.05). The results imply that even for experienced users, icon concreteness makes a difference in semantic distance and cognitive processing load, resulting in differences in response accuracy. Thus, even programs designed for experienced users should use more concrete icons where possible.