Perceptions of Consumer Products: Hazardousness and Warning Expectations

Abstract

This research examines several characteristics of consumer products that influence warning communication. Seventy-two generically-named products were rated according to perceived hazardousness, familiarity, and several other measures: 1) willingness to read warnings, 2) need for warnings, 3) location of warnings, and 4) appearance of products with warnings. The results indicate that reported willingness to read warnings is strongly and positively related to the perceived hazardousness of the product. Though product familiarity is significantly related to willingness to read warnings, it provides little predictive value beyond hazardousness. Additional analyses showed, the more hazardous the product: 1) the greater the need for warnings, 2) the closer to the product one expects to find a warning, and 3) the less warnings detract from the appearance of such products. Implications of these results are discussed with regard to applications for warning design.

Consumer Products: How are the Hazards Perceived?

“…The seventy-two generic product names used in the Wogalter et al (1986) study were used. Each subject was presented with one of four randomly determined product orders.…”

“…Wogalter, Desaulniers, and Brelsford (1986) report that subjects are more willing to read warnings on more hazardous products and expect such products to have warnings. This suggests that perceptions of hazardousness are important in determining precautionary intentions.…”

“…Previous research suggests that there is a relationship between familiarity and hazardousness, though the research suggests that the relationship is more complex than intuition might suggest (e.g., Godfrey, AIlender, Laughery, & Smith, 1983;Godfrey & Laughery, 1984;Wogalter et al, 1986). In addition to familiarity and its relationship to hazardousness, several other knowledge related variables were explored: frequency and time of contact, technological complexity of the product, and perceived confidence in knowing all of the product's hazards.…”

On the prioritization of safety warnings in product manuals

“…Frantz (1994) found that incorporating warnings within the general instructions of a manual increased the likelihood of reading. Wogalter et al (1986) found that placing safety warnings before a set of task instructions produced greater compliance than warnings placed after the instructions. Showers et al (1993) used eight focus groups to explore consumer behavior and perceptions of product manuals.…”

“…Wogalter et al (1991) showed that while perceived injury severity and likelihood were both positively correlated with willingness to read warnings, injury severity had a much stronger relationship. Additionally product familiarity is strongly related to willingness to read warnings (e.g., Godfrey and Laughery, 1984;Wogalter et al, 1986), although the relationship is not as strong as with injury severity (Wogalter et al, 1991). Prior awareness of hazards is also related to product familiarity because people are generally aware of the hazards of familiar products.…”