Text–Background Polarity Affects Performance Irrespective of Ambient Illumination and Colour Contrast
A series of experiments on text–background polarity, ambient light, and color contrast in reading performance.
Citation
Buchner, A., & Baumgartner, N. (2007). Text–Background Polarity Affects Performance Irrespective of Ambient Illumination and Colour Contrast. Ergonomics, 50(7), 1036–1063.
Method
Series of proofreading experiments with physiological and self-report measures.
Claims used
- Proofreading was consistently better with dark text on light backgrounds, regardless of ambient light or chromaticity.
- Hue contrast (such as red text on green) cannot replace luminance contrast.
Limitations: Physiological measures and reports of eye strain did not differ by condition; performance did.
Extracted principles
- Dark text on light backgroundsNot tested
Display long reading text as dark foreground on a light background, prioritizing luminance contrast over hue contrast.
ColorTypography