Consumer product warnings: The role of hazard perception

Three studies examined factors associated with people's hazard perceptions of consumer products. A specific interest was how these perceptions relate to willingness to read product warnings. In Study 1, 72 generically-named products were rated on perceived hazard, familiarity, and several expectations associated with warnings, including willingness to read them. Willingness to read warnings was found to have a strong positive relationship with perceived hazard. Though familiarity was negatively related to willingness to read warnings, it provided little predictive value beyond perceived hazard. In addition, products judged as more hazardous were expected to have warnings, to have them in close proximity to the product, and to be less aesthetically impaired by prominent warnings. Since hazard perception was found to be an important determinant of willlingness to read warnings, potential components of hazard perception were examined in Studies 2 and 3. Study 2 showed that perceived severity of injury related more strongly to perceptions of hazard than likelihood of injury. In Study 3, participants generated accident scenarios and rated the severity and likelihood of each scenario. For each product, they also judged overall hazard and their intent to behave cautiously. Results supported the two earlier studies and showed that severity of the first generated scenario was most predictive of hazard perception. Theoretical implications and applications for warning design are discussed.