An Empirical Study of Consumers’ Sensitivity to the Wording of Affirmative Disclosure Messages

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a field experimental study which tested consumer comprehension of three versions of an affirmative disclosure message. The versions differed in relatively slight and subtle ways, yet produced significant differences in consumer comprehension and understanding of the message. The results of the study suggest that the majority of consumers are quite able to comprehend and understand simple product information messages but are highly sensitive to differences and even subtle nuances in messages, underscoring the need for empirical testing of any such message that is intended to affect consumer beliefs or behavior.