Factors Affecting Consumers' Perceptions of Product Warnings: An Examination of the Differences between Male and Female Consumers

Abstract

This study utilized a survey to investigate several factors that may influence consumers' perceptions of warnings. The purpose of this research was twofold: 1) to partially replicate a previous study of college undergraduates to see if similar results would be obtained in a random sample of consumers, and 2) to determine if these factors are significantly different depending on the sex of the consumer. Subjects rated twelve products according to: dangerousness, familiarity, their willingness to read a warning, need for a warning, and location of the warning. The results of this research are similar to those of the original study, therefore, the undergraduates can be considered a good indicator of the general consumer population. Further analysis showed differences in the perception of warnings between male and female consumers. Females are more likely to feel a product should have a warning and are more likely to read a warning despite the perceived dangerousness of the product than are males. The likelihood of males reading warning labels depends on the perceived dangerousness and familiarity of the product.