Abstraction Level: Evidence from an Event-Related Potential Study

Icons, essential for Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), significantly influence interface interaction efficiency. The representation and recognition of icons are crucial, and concise, accurate design enhances usability. Excessively abstract icons may hinder recognition, increasing learning costs and cognitive difficulty. This study explores the impact of abstraction levels on recognition efficiency and usability in two types of product icons (practical and hedonic). Reaction time, recognition accuracy, and ERP data were measured for high, medium and low abstraction levels. Results indicate that, for practical products, medium-abstraction icons had better matching, while high-abstraction icons showed better matching in hedonic products.