Comprehension and Memory of Instruction Manual Warnings: Conspicuous Print and Pictorial Icons

Abstract

Two experiments examined the effects of increasing the noticeability of instruction manual warnings on subsequent comprehension and memory performance. Participants read one of four instruction manuals for a gas-powered electric generator (Experiment 1) or a natural-gas oven (Experiment 2) on the assumption that they would later operate the equipment. The appearance of eight different warning messages in the manuals was altered in two ways: (1) the verbal messages were printed either in conspicuous print (larger text with color highlighting) or in plain print (same as the other text), and (2) either the verbal warning messages were accompanied by compatible pictorial icons or the icons were absent. Results showed that participants who received the conspicuous print, icons present manual better comprehended and recalled the verbal warning messages (Experiments 1 and 2) and better identified the semantic meaning of the icons (Experiment 1) than did participants who received the other three manuals. Implications for the design of instruction manual warnings are discussed.