Effects of Warning Symbol Explicitness and Warning Color on Behavioral Compliance

Abstract

Previous research has shown that signal words, warning colors, and symbol explicitness can affect waming effectiveness and hazard perceptions. This study assessed the impact of two warning colors, two warning sign types, and two levels of symbol explicitness on college student behavior. Scaffolding was erected in front of a building to simulate a construction area, and warning signs were placed on one door instructing individuals to use an alternate exit. Warning effectiveness was assessed by comparing transformed proportion data based on the number of people exiting the building. The presence of a sign significantly altered traffic patterns. The traffic patterns did not vary as a function of warning color, sign type, or symbol explicitness. Warning signs play an important safety role by communicating hazard information. The three-panel warning uses signal words, colors, symbols, and text to describe hazards and mitigating actions. Although many of the warning sign components have been studied mdividually, little research has considered how elements combine to influence behavior in natural settings. The present study considers the influence of signal words, color, and symbol explicitness on the behavior of individuals in a simulated work environment. Signal Words Early research (Bresnahan & Bryk, 1975) revealed that signal words increased the perceived hazard of warning signs. More recently, Wogalter, Jarrard, and Simpson (1992) concluded that signal words increased the hazard perception of product labels when compared to labels without a signal word. Chapanis (1994) compared the apparent level of hazard for three different signal words: CAUTION, WARNING, and DANGER. He determined that DANGER represented the highest perceived hazard, followed by WARNJNG, which was perceived as an intermediate hazard, and CAUTION which conveyed the least hazard of the three signal words. Color Color, just as signal words, can be arranged along a continuum of perceived hazard. When examining the interaction of color and signal word,

Adverse Events and Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs: Is Inappropriate Labeling the Problem? - The Case of Acetaminophen

“…Participants scored almost the same regardless of the design, which could indicate that additional changes to the label of OTC acetaminophen would not surely improve compliance. Interestingly, our results are consistent with previous findings that demonstrate warnings could have little effect on consumers' behavior, since there are non-warning factors that can impact the warning process (Frantz et al, 2005;E. F. Shaver & Braun, 2000;Eric F Shaver et al, 2006).…”

“…F. Shaver & Braun, 2000;Eric F Shaver et al, 2006). For instance, a study conducted by Shaver et al (2000) to evaluate the effect of different warnings on behavioral compliance, found that while there was an effect as consequence of the presence of a warning sign, changes to the design of the warning (e.g. : color, sign type, or symbol explicitness) had no effect on behavioral compliance.…”

Predicted versus Actual Response to Warning Signs and Labels: Examining the Role of ANSI Z535 Features

“…Actual compliance rates (from Frantz et al, 1993;Frantz et al, 2000; using the lax criterion from both studies) showed that compliance for the ANSI-style label (M = 16.7%) was a. Shaver and Braun (2000) reported that actual behavior was significantly affected by presence of any sign (compared to no sign) and that no difference was found between the three sign conditions.…”

“…For each label, participants were asked how many people out of 100 would notice the labels on the filing cabinet and also how many people out of 100 would follow the warning's target statement to load the bottom drawer first. Shaver and Braun (2000) studied the behavior of people using a set of three doors to a campus building. Specifically, signs were posted on both sides of the left-most of three door-ways that told people to use the center exit of the building due to the fact that overhead construction was being performed outside the building.…”

“…Participants in the present study were provided a description of the scenario employed by Shaver and Braun (2000), and they were shown an illustration of the interior of the building with three doorways leading outside and the locations of the signs on either side of the left doorway.…”