Effectiveness of Product Safety Warnings over Time, and the Generalization of Warning Signs

Abstract

The extent to which consumer's attention for safety signs varies over time and the extent to which consumer's impression of product safety are altered by the presence of a safety sign were investigated. A total of 60 subjects had one of two types of signs (safety message or security message) placed on the front of a VDU. Subjects were administered a questionnaire after either one or three weeks of exposure to the signs. Results indicate that safety signs can be rapidly habituated to if the sign's content is not seen as relevant to the task at hand. In addition it was found that the presence of a safety sign resulted in subjects identifying more product related safety hazards.