Research Result
This research focuses on the emotion of fonts based on their characteristics. The characteristics of the font convey mood, emotion, and even tastes to the readers based upon different letter shapes, font styles, and font-weight. The following research indicates that font has its semanteme. By the means of the font's features are able to convey moods and even elicit feelings.
Research Result I
They studied and tested four typeface variables for the influence of human emotions
According to Albert J. Kastl and Irvin L. Child, the authors of “Emotional Meaning of Four Typographical Variables” (A journal of Yale University in 1968). In this experiment, there were 40 college students who had been joined to do the test and gave the judgment of emotional meanings to the four typeface variables. There four group typefaces were: “(1) angular versus curved, (2) bold versus light, (3) simple versus ornate, and (4) serif versus sans-serif” (Kastl and Child 440).
The Results Found Out
Result 1: The characteristic of the typeface is curved, light, ornate, and sans-serif closer to the feelings/moods are sprightly, sparkling, dreamy, and soaring.
Result 2: When the characteristic of the typeface shows angular, bold, and serif type that came out the moods are; sad, dignified, and dramatic (440).
Research Result II
It indicates that different features of fonts can elicit different emotions and personalities
According to A. Dawn Shaikh, Barbara S. Chaparro, & Doug Fox, the authors of Perception of Fonts: Perceived Personality Traits and Uses, the study in 2006, an online survey data published by Wichita State University Software Usability Research Laboratory (SURL).
There were about 500 participants joining the survey in two groups (Personality and Users). The Personality group had 561 people to complete the survey and the Users' group had 533 people to complete the survey.
In these two groups, 72% of participants were females and 28% were males. About 60% were college students; 45% of people were from ages 20 to 29, and 20% of people were from ages 30 to 39. These participants are internet users, where 81% of participants reported they visited websites daily and 46% of them reported that they spent 2 to 6 hours per week reading on the Internet.
Participants were asked about perceptions of diversified styles of fonts and typefaces. In the survey, participants rated 20 fonts. and selected the closest feelings within 15 adjective pairs (fig. 13). The result is positive that personality traits are indeed related to font families.
These Six Families of Font Are Classified in the Questionnaire
Serif fonts (Cambria, Constantia, Times New Roman, & Georgia).
Sans serif fonts (Calibri, Corbel, Candara, Arial, Verdana, & Century Gothic)(2006).
Script (Rage Italic, Gigi, Comic Sans, Kristen ITC & Monotype Corsiva)(2006).
Monospaced fonts (Consolas & Courier New)(2006).
Display or Modern fonts (Impact, Rockwell Extra Bold, and Agency FB).
fig.1 20 font samples that participants rated in the online survey (2006)
fig 2.“Above 15 adjective pairs were used to assess perceived personality of fonts (2006)”
The Results Found Out
According to A. Dawn Shaikh, Barbara S. Chaparro, & Doug Fox, the authors of Perception of Fonts: Perceived Personality Traits and Uses, the study in 2006, an online survey data published by Wichita State University Software Usability Research Laboratory (SURL).
Results Column 1 (starts from the left), the Sans Serif fonts results were very average on any personality traits. Column 2, The Serif fonts caught people more attention on traits such as Stable, Practical, Mature, and Formal. Column 3, Script/Funny factor had the highest rating for Youthful, Happy, Creative, Rebellious, Feminine, Casual, and Cuddly. Column 4, Assertive Bold fonts are associated with Modern Display fonts. That gave more feelings of Masculine, Assertive, Rude, Sad, and Coarse. Column 5, The Plain group, Monospaced fonts, had the highest means for Dull, Plain, Unimaginative, and Conforming.
fig 3. “Top 3 fonts of each personality adjective (2006)”
Research Result III
The characteristics of typefaces can control and communicate human perception
Sarah Hyndman, a professional graphic designer in TEDx Talk expresses that at an experimental event, she was asking one hundred people to eat two identical Jelly Beans. Before they eat these Jelly Beans, they are requested to look at the words on the candies first. They looked at the typeface and ate the first Jelly Bean which prints a round-shaped typeface, and then, they ate the second Jelly Bean which prints a jagged typeface on the candy’s surface. An interesting result showed that the typefaces changed the tastes.
The Results Found Out
The results are, seventeen percentages of participants rated the Turk-shaped typeface as tasting sweeter; eleven percentages of participants rated the
jagged-shaped typeface as tasting sour. Therefore, the fonts actually can alter human tastes (Hyndman 2014).