The Influence of Container Shape and Color Cues on Consumer Product Risk Perception and Precautionary Intent

Abstract

Four experiments were carried out to examine the extent that the container shape and color of a consumer product package influence hazard perceptions of that product. The experiments further examined the extent that consumer product hazard perception influenced consumer precautionary intent. The first experiment demonstrated that participants could design product packages signaling the identity and potential hazard level of the contents. Experiments 2 and 3 validated the results of Experiment 1. Experiment 3 further introduced the concept of precautionary intent for those products perceived as being more hazardous. Experiment 4 examined whether these stated intentions would be acted upon when participants were asked to interact with a product; it was found that participants were more likely to engage in precautionary behaviors than had been indicated in Experiment 3.