Survey of Font Perception: Fonts and Personal Feelings

Most research on fonts is related to legibility and readability, but with little concern of the
human feelings they convey. However, above the literal meaning of words, fonts have the
capacity to express mood and attitude. The right fonts can reinforce the message, whereas
the wrong ones can detract from the intended meaning and have the adverse influence.
Purpose
This survey attempts to determine whether or not participants think that the presented
fonts have the capacity to express mood and attitude and what kind of mood they convey.
Method
Participants will be provided with 30 fonts printed in the same size, 36 points; and
participants will be asked to rate these fonts with 8 pairs of opposite adjectives
representing 16 different moods, for example, happy versus unhappy, comfortable versus
uncomfortable, etc.
The scores are based on a 10 - point Likert scale.

Note: For the names of presented samples, please see the appendix.

1
Sample 1:

ABCDEFGHIJKL
MNOPQRSTUVW
XYZ
abcdefghijklmn
opqrstuvwxyz
0123456789

2
Sample 2:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
OPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnop
qrstuvwxyz
0123456789

3
Sample 3:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ
RSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopq
rstuvwxyz
0123456789

4
Sample 4:

ABCDEFGHIJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdef ghijklmnopq
rstuvwxyz
0123456789

5
Sample 5:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
OPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmno
pqrstuvwxyz
0123456789

6
Sample 6:

A B C D E F G H I J
K L M N O P Q R S
TUVWXYZ
a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z
0123456789

7
Sample 7:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRS
TUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv
wxyz
0123456789

8
Sample 8:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO
PQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrs
tuvwxyz
0123456789

9
Sample 9:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
O P Q R ST UVW XY Z
abcdef ghijklmnopqr
stuvwxyz
0123456789

10
Sample 10:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP
QRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstu
vwxyz
0123456789

11
Sample 11:

ABCDEFGHIJKLM

NOPQRSTUVWXY

abcdefghijklmno

pqrstuvwxyz

0123456789

12
Sample 12:

ABCDEFGHIJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopq
rstuvwxyz
0123456789

13
Sample 13:

ABCDEFGHIJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXY
Z
abcdefghijklmnop
qrstuvwxyz
0123456789

14
Sample 14:

ABCDEFGHIJKL
MNOPQRSTUVW
XYZ
abcdefghijklm
nopqrstuvwxyz
0123456789

15
Sample 15:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP
QRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrst
uvwxyz
0123456789

16
Sample 16:

ABCDEFGHIJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXY
Z
abcdefghijklmnopq
rstuvwxyz
0123456789

17
Sample 17:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ
RSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqr
stuvwxyz
0123456789

18
Sample 18:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ
RSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstu
vwxyz
0123456789

19
Sample 19:

ABCDEFGHIJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXY
Z
abcdef ghijklmnop
qrstuvwxyz
0123456789

20
Sample 20:

ABCDEFGHIJK
LMNOPQRSTUV
WXYZ
abcdefghijklmno
pqrstuvwxyz
0123456789

21
Sample 21:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
O P Q R ST UVW XY Z
abcdefghijklmnopq
rstuvwxyz
0123456789

22
Sample 22:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
OPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmno
pqrstuvwxyz
0123456789

23
Sample 23:

ABCDEFGHIJKLM
NOPQRSTUVWXY
Z
abcdefghijklmnop
qrstuvwxyz
0123456789

24
Sample 24:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMN

OPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnop

qrstuvwxyz

0123456789

25
Sample 25:

ABCDEFGHIJKL
M N O P Q R S T U V
WXYZ
a b c d e f g h i j k l
mnopqrstuvwx
yz
0123456789

26
Sample 26:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
0123456789

27
Sample 27:

ABCDEFGHIJKLM
N O P Q R S T UVW XY Z
abcdefghijklmno
pqrstuvwxyz
0123456789

28
Sample 28:

A B C D E F G H I J
K L M N O P Q R S
T U V W X Y Z
a b c d e f g h i j k l
m n o p q r s t u v w
x y z
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

29
Sample 29:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
OPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnop
qrstuvwxyz
0123456789

30
Sample 30:

ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
OPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnop
qrstuvwxyz
0123456789

31
Appendix:

Sample 1: Cooper Black

Sample 2: Berlin Sans FB
Sample 3: Bernard MT Condensed
Sample 4: Garamond
Sample 5: Belwe Lt BT
Sample 6: Ravie
Sample 7: Playbill
Sample 8: Harry Porter
Sample 9: Centaur
Sample 10: Poor Richard
Sample 11: Jokerman
Sample 12: Times New Roman
Sample 13: Arial
Sample 14: Broadway
Sample 15: Kino MT
Sample 16: Baskerville Old Face
Sample 17: Berlin Sans FB
Sample 18: Chiller
Sample 19: Bodoni MT
Sample 20: Elephant
Sample 21: Gills Sans MT
Sample 22: Britannic Bold
Sample 23: Helvetica
Sample 24: Bauhaus 93
Sample 25: Kabel
Sample 26: Oynx
Sample 27: Rockwell
Sample 28: Snap ITC
Sample 29: Harrington
Sample 30: Footlight MT Light

32