Hockey

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Field Hockey, Landhockey

Category

Sports, Ball Sports, Ball Games, Stick Sports, Team Sports, Activities, Sporting Activities, Recreation

Message / Function

For notice in general and to indicate the possibility of playing hockey

	Source	Description
	Picto'grafics	Side view of human figure holding hockey stick, ball close to stick's head
	CNIS	Side view of human figure holding hockey stick, ball close to stick's head
	O'88	Side view of moving human figure holding hockey stick, ball close to stick's head
	Wien BfS	Side view of moving human figure holding hockey stick, ball close to stick's head
	Dutchicon	Moving human figure holding hockey stick, ball close to stick's head
	O'21	Side view of running human figure holding hockey stick, ball close to stick's head
	BS 8501:2002	Side view of running human figure holding hockey stick, ball close to stick's head
	Aicher & Krampen	Side view of running human figure holding hockey stick
*)	O'64	Side view of running human figure playing hockey, ball close to stick's head
*)	O'72	Side view of running human figure playing hockey
	O'96	Side view of running human figure playing hockey
	O'80	Side view of human figure holding bent stick
	Dutchicon	Ball in outline with shade, hockey stick
*)	O'68	Head areas of two hockey sticks, ball in center
*)	O'48	Two hockey sticks crossed, ball
	O'24	Top view of details of a hockey field, diagonally arranged hockey sticks, two balls

Note: Some of the examples shown above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

The selection above illustrates the range of pictograms available, from human figures with hockey stick plus ball to renderings of just hockey sticks and ball. Most of these pictograms are from Summer Olympic Games, were Hockey has a long tradition. It seems that a side view of a human figure holding a hockey stick with the ball close to stick's head could be a visual stereotype representing this type of sport.

In our research we discovered that there is only very limited test data available for the referent Hockey:

When Mackett-Stout & Dewar (1981) examined the four pictogram variants marked with *) on basis of several methods including a Comprehension Test, none of these pictograms tested seemed to be understood well enough, with percentages of correct answers between 26 and 37. Since no data concerning familiarity with Hockey is available, these results should be interpreted with care.

Recommendations

We recommend using a pictogram showing a side view of a moving human figure holding a hockey stick with the ball close to the stick's head, but care should be taken to avoid similarities with a human figure in putting posture when playing Golf or Minigolf.

Furthermore we suggest to conduct studies comparing more concepts than the ones tested in the paper available, including the Chinese variant (CNIS). Such a study should also include data concerning familiarity with Hockey in combination with a Comprehension Test to identify possible misinterpretations and to improve designs. Only on such a basis a clear decision concerning a specific pictogram recommendation can be reached.

Tests of pictograms of referent Hockey

Mackett-Stout, J. & Dewar, R.L. (1981): Evaluation of Public Information Signs. Human Factors, 1981, 23, 139-151.