A Test of a Model of Consumers' Responses to Product Manual Safety Information1

Product manuals can play a role in marketplace safety and can enhance product utility (Celuch, Lust, and Showers, 1992). Given the current marketplace concern with such issues, it is surprising how little attention product manuals have received in published research. The present study blends theory and research from the threat communication and protective behavior literature as a starting point for the development of a conceptual framework relating to consumer responses to manual safety information. To this end, relationships among arousal, safety-related self-efficacy, behavioral intentions related to safety recommendations, and product use intention were examined and generally supported. Based on the findings of the study, several issues relevant to researchers and practitioners in the area are discussed.

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