Facts and data on pictograms
Synonyms / Other Terms Used
Electric Shaver Socket, Electric Shaver Point, Shaver Outlet, Shaver Socket, Razor Socket, Socket for Electric Razor
Category
Home Utility, Electronic Labeling
Message / Function
To identify socket outlets for electric shavers and similar low-power apparatus
| Source | Description | |
|---|---|---|
 7) |
Ehrenfels | Front view of human face, partially shaved, curved line ending in filled rectangle |
 5) |
IEC 60417 | Front view of human face, partially shaved, curved line ending in filled rectangle |
 4) |
Sramek | Front view of human face, partially shaved, electric razor with cable |
 2) |
Simlinger & Falkner |
Front view of human face, partially shaved, electric razor with cable |
 |
UIC 413 | Electric razor with cable and plug, text 220 V~ below |
 |
UIC 413 b | Electric razor with cable and plug, text 220 V~ below |
 1) |
DSB | Electric razor with cable and plug |
 3) |
ÖBB | Electric razor with cable and plug |
 |
Sand | Electric razor with cable and plug, text 220 V~ inbetween |
 6) |
UIC | Electric razor with cable and plug, text 220 V~ below |
 |
SSRS | AC power plug and power outlet below |
 |
EJP | AC power plug |
 |
BS 8501:2002 | Circle with two horizontally aligned disks inside |
 |
ÖBB 2007 | Text 230 V ~ |
Discussion
A look at the image content shows that except for images of electric shavers and faces being shaved also variants showing just a power outlet or a plug are being used.
In our research we discovered that there is only very limited test data available for this referent:
When Brugger (1977 a) examined the seven pictogram variants marked with 1) to 7) for the referent Electric Shaver Outlet using an Appropriateness Ranking Test, a pictogram showing just an electric razor with cable and plug was ranked best, followed by a rendering of a face with an electric razor plus cable. The numbering 1) to 7) in the table above reflects the final rank order.
In a follow-up Comprehension Tests available for the variants marked 1) to 3) (Brugger, 1977 b) the pictograms showing just an electric razor with cable and plug reached better results than the rendering of a face with an electric razor plus cable (96 % and 79 % vs 66 % correct responses applying lenient scoring). 18 % of the repondents probably were not able to identify the pictogram labeled with 3) as shaver.
Practical notes:
For safety reasons shaver socket-outlets are current-limited and therefore are supposed to be used for electric shavers and similar low-power apparatus only. This creates the need for marking such sockets with a specific symbol.
As mentioned before some of these pictograms are correctly understood, but many people still do not understand the consequences that no high power apparatus should be attached. Therefore some designers also created variations by adding specific prohibition signs depicting high power apparatus like an immersion heater, an electric iron, and even more, but this measure was not really successful either.
Tests of pictograms of referent Electric Shaver Outlet
Brugger, Ch. (1977 a): Abschlußbericht über den Reihungstest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute, Vienna, 1977-07-27.
Brugger, Ch. (1977 b): Abschlußbericht über den Erkennungstest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute, Vienna, 1977-10-04.
Updated 2023-05-02 by Ch.Brugger