Taiwanese Preferences and Cultural Factors Influencing

Visuals in Taiwanese Pamphlets

By Lucas Baclayon

Background

Three Studies

1) Pamphlet Comparison and Analysisa) Done to see what pictures are used in Taiwanese health pamphlets. b) Analysis based on literature review.

2) Surveysa) Done to see visual preferences of Taiwanese people. b) Most significant part of overall study because of amount of people

involved and time spent.

3) Doctor Interviewsa) Done to get professional opinion of how pictures are used. b) Provided significant insight to understanding how Taiwanese people

relate to health visuals.

Pamphlet Comparison and Analysis

1) Taiwanese Pamphlets (56 pamphlets)a) Collected from Taichung City Health Department on a

first-see, first use basis. I kept only those pamphlets with pictures, discarding two of the pamphlets.

2) American Pamphlets (56 pamphlets)a) Searched online for print-ready documents. Mostly

searched for state Health Departments then looked for health pamphlets.

b) Four pamphlets were sent to me from Nevada.

Total Number of Pictures

People in Pamphlets

Picture Comparison

American Pamphlets Taiwanese Pamphlets

Personification

Surveys

1) Conducted with Taiwanese adults whose children attend Wagor Bilingual Elementary School.

2) In total, 105 surveys were received. a) All 16 questions were open ended. b) All survey questions were in both Chinese and English. c) Most survey responses were in Chinese.

i. I read and translated most surveys myself. In some cases, a native-Chinese speaking colleague helped with handwriting or vocabulary.

Survey Content1) Introduction

a) Personal information

2) Pamphlet Usage and Expectations (1-7)3) Questions about specific pictures (8-13)4) Questions about color and pamphlet origin

(14-16)

Dentist Picture Responses

Food Bank Picture Responses

Intestine Picture Responses

Stressed Woman Picture Responses

Personified Virus Picture Responses

SARS Pamphlet Cover Picture Responses

Color

• Preference of cool, bright colors

• Red

• White: Symbol of death. Rarely used in short public documents.

Good Bad

Cultural Signifies blood

Doctor Interviews

1) Interviewed ten doctors in Taichung City.a) Two interviews conducted in person. Eight

requested they be given the questions in paper and would answer the questions and any follow up question through correspondence.

2) Not all doctors were Taiwanese, but all were educated and practicing in Taiwan.

3) All interviews done in English. a) None of the doctors mentioned it as a difficulty.

Pamphlet Effectiveness

Percentage of Patients Who Need Visuals

“Visuals are there to support your verbal communication. Visuals are able to add information and ambiance and to set the tone of communication.”

Five doctors specifically said that visuals are easier to understand.

Picture Usage

• Be careful when pictures with real people, even in life-or-death situations.

• All aspects of a picture should be related to the content.

• Visuals should not have too many topics. • It is easier to make things understandable

with drawings. • Drawings attract attention.

Doctor-Patient Communication Difficulties

• Three doctors said patients are not very well informed about health issues. Three others said that they have to explain a great deal to patients.

• Communication with seniors– Hearing loss– Lack of education– Unwillingness to listen to someone younger– Language barrier– Traditional thinking

Conclusion

1) Show pictures that are positive and healthy.a) Healthy means controlled, happy, and positive.

2) Showing real pictures is risky. a) Drawings are more appropriate.

3) Color can be an important subconscious factor for readers.

4) Consider visual appeal.