Once, while preparing for a conference presentation, I was advised not to use Helvetica or Times New Roman for my slides. No self-respecting academic would want to be seen in front of slides that used two of today’s most widely used fonts. But why? This piece of advice really stuck with me. Would I actually be looked down on as a lesser academic because I used a commonly used (not to mention, perfectly legible) font? Should not the consistency, reliability, and reputable functionality of a font like Helvetica add to my credibility? Certainly, there are more factors than readability, professionalism, and clarity that go into a user’s assessment of ethos through typeface. Context, conditioning, and tacit criticism are possible answers to the “why?” Why shouldn’t I use Helvetica here, but I should use it there? Why does Helvetica hold the power to both improve and destabilize my document’s credibility?
The way we laypeople select fonts is typically based on some kind of directive, tacit knowledge, or personal preference--and not explicitly on what persona we are trying to display. While there are large gaps between studies that have implications for this topic, the general consensus of technical communicators, designer lore, and user instinct is that typeface clearly exhibits personality. While researchers and subjects may not be able to agree on the exact terms, studies generally agree on this major point. However, little articulation can be found as to why this is so. This is a huge area for future research. Why do users make judgements about typefaces? Why does the way information is presented textually affect the user’s perception of a document? Is this merely conditioning? Or are there other factors at play?
In addition to the "why?," there is the question of how this perception of persona in typeface influences a user interaction with a text. Does this perception of persona affect a user’s judgment of the credibility of a text or influence the user’s perception of ethos? The question I will aim to answer in my own research: are user judgements of text ethos influenced by typeface?
Knowing these whys and hows of user judgements about ethos could significantly inform technical communication best practices, in addition to having broader implications across disciplines. What's more, this knowledge could have serious implications for my relationship with Helvetica.
Helvetica, oh how I love thee... let me count the ways!
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, this is an intriguing research topic. I'm firmly in the camp of selecting a font based on my moooooooooooooood. I had no idea it might affect my credibility! I look forward to learning more about this topic.
I like this. My daughter is super into fonts, and always picking the most cutesy teenage girl fonts possible. She has noticed a particular affinity for fonts with the word "coffee" in the title, because my friend had her make a "hot brown morning potion" sticker for a mug, and all of the fonts she found for it appealed to her. Looks like you have a great opportunity for research!
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