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Impact Factor: 1.290 | Ranking: Ergonomics 5 out of 16 | Engineering, Industrial 19 out of 43 | Psychology, Applied 32 out of 75 | 

Behavioral Sciences 43 out of 49 | Psychology 53 out of 74

Source: 2013 Journal Citation Reports® 

(Thomson Reuters, 2014)

Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and

Ergonomics Society

hfs.sagepub.com

doi: 10.1518/001872098779649355 

Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society December 

1998 vol. 40 no. 4 554-568 

Effects of Display Resolution on Visual 

Performance

Martina Ziefle

Institute of Psychology, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule 

Aachen, Aachen, Germany

Abstract

The role of display resolution in visual information processing was investigated in 2 

experiments. Experiment 1 examined the effects of 2 CRT conditions (resolutions of 60 

and 120 dots per inch [dpi]) and a paper control condition (255 dpi) on proofreading 

speed and accuracy. The results showed that reading performance was significantly 

better in the paper condition than in the 2 CRT conditions. Experiment 2 examined the 

effects of 3 different CRT resolutions (62, 69, and 89 dpi) on eye movement parameters 

(fixation duration and number of fixations) in a visual search task. Further, search 

reaction times (RTs) and observers′ ratings of visual fatigue were analyzed. RTs and 

fixation durations were significantly increased in the low-resolution condition (62 dpi) as 

compared with the high-resolution condition (89 dpi). The significant interaction 

between display resolution and time both for search RTs and fixation durations was 

taken as evidence for stronger fatigue in the low-resolution conditions. Additionally, the 

extent of visual fatigue correlates both with search RTs and eye movement parameters. 

This finding gives rise to the assumption that observers′ responsiveness to effects of 

display resolution in terms of visual fatigue differs markedly. Actual or potential 

applications of this research include recommendations for the use of high-resolution 

displays (90 dpi and greater) to optimize visual performance, to make prolonged onscreen viewing more comfortable, and to avoid visual fatigue. 

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Effects of Display Resolution on Visual Performance Page 1 of 2

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Effects of Display Resolution on Visual Performance Page 2 of 2

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