TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
A new point about fonts to argue and speculate over
Subject:A new point about fonts to argue and speculate over From:Keith Hood <klhra -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:TECHWR- L <TECHWR-L -at- LISTS -dot- TECHWR-L -dot- COM> Date:Sat, 3 Nov 2012 17:48:40 -0700 (PDT)
I just read an article that basically says you can make people change the intensity of their feelings on issues if you force them to read about the issues in a font that is difficult for them.
Here's a couple of quotes from the article:Â
"Liberals and conservatives who are polarized on certain politically charged subjects become more moderate when reading political arguments in a difficult-to-read font, researchers report in a new study. Likewise, people with induced bias for or against a defendant in a mock trial are less likely to act on that bias if they have to struggle to read the evidence against him."
berals and conservatives
who are polarized on certain politically charged subjects become more
moderate when reading political arguments in a difficult-to-read font,
researchers report in a new study. Likewise, people with induced bias
for or against a defendant in a mock trial are less likely to act on
that bias if they have to struggle to read the evidence against him.
" 'We showed that if we can slow people down, if we can make them stop relying on their gut reaction â that feeling that they already know what something says â it can make them more moderate; it can have them start doubting their initial beliefs and start seeing the other side of the argument a little bit more,' Hernandez said."
Unfortunately, I could not find any links to the researchers' original papers. The links I followed all went in a circle. There was one that went to a site where a paid account is required for further access.
"We showed that if we can
slow people down, if we can make them stop relying on their gut reaction â that feeling that they already know what something says â it can make them more moderate; it can have them start doubting their initial
beliefs and start seeing the other side of the argument a little bit
more," Hernandez said.