Typeface comparison − Does the x-height of lower-case letters increased to the size of upper-case letters speed up recognition?

Abstract

Daily contents presented on television screen are in most cases equipped with titles, for example the names and surnames of presented people, data about the location, subtitles or different advertisements. It is widely believed that upper-case letters are more useful (compared to lower-case letters) for placing short titles. The aim of the research was to determine the differences in recognition and reproduction times of short titles in various experimental conditions (especially the difference between lower- and upper-case letters when the x-height of lower-case letters is increased to the main size of upper-case letters). We were interested in how lower-case letters are comparable to upper-case letters in recognition and information processing. Five typefaces were included in the experiment, i.e. Calibri, Georgia, Swiss 721, Trebuchet and Verdana. Three-letter words were presented in lower- and upper-case, covering a comparable area in four different positions on the screen. The analysis of variance showed that the Calibri typeface was recognized and processed faster. The Georgia, Trebuchet and Verdana typefaces showed comparable processing times regardless their letter case.