Mixed versus Pure Display Format in Integration and Nonintegration Visual Display Monitoring Tasks

In four experiments we examined the effect of varying the types of display coding (analog, verbal, digital) used in a visual monitoring task. In pure display conditions all indicators within a display were of the same type, and in mixed conditions display type varied across indicators. Subjects performed either integration tasks, which required responses based on information contained in two indicators, or nonintegration tasks, in which responses could be made based on a single indicator value. Results replicated previous findings of the superiority of analog indicators in tasks of this type and also indicated that the integration/nonintegration task distinction is not an important variable to take into account when designing displays. It is suggested that detailed analyses of decision task demands are required in designing visual displays.