The Interaction of Signal Word and Color on Warning Labels: Differences in Perceived Hazard

Previous research has examined the connoted hazard of various colors and signal words separately. The purpose of the present research was to examine the interaction of signal words and colors. A sample of 30 undergraduates rated the perceived hazard of 105 signal word/color combinations printed in specific hazard colors. of the colors used, red conveyed the highest level of perceived hazard followed by orange, black, green, and blue. There were significant differences among the signal words which were grouped into three different hazard level categories. High hazard words conveyed significantly more hazard than moderate and low hazard words. Likewise, moderate hazard words conveyed significantly more hazard than low hazard word group. More importantly, however, it was noted that a signal word such as DEADLY connoted less hazard when printed in green than red ink. Implications for warning design are discussed.

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