Consumer Products: How are the Hazards Perceived?

Abstract

Two questionnaire studies were conducted examining potential components of perceptions of consumer product hazardousness. In Study 1 subjects rated 72 consumer products on perceived hazardousness, expected severity of injuries, and perceived likelihood of injury. The results indicate that severity relates more strongly than injury likelihood with perceived hazardousness. Several product knowledge variables were also examined; these results indicate that technological complexity and confidence in knowing the product's hazards add unique variance beyond severity in the prediction of hazard perception. In Study 2 subjects generated accident scenarios for each of 18 consumer products. Subjects rated each scenario according to the severity of the accident and the probability of its occurrence and also provided ratings of overall product hazardousness. Results supported the findings of Study 1. The severity of product injury scenarios were strongly and positively correlated with hazardousness. Probability of injury ratings added negligible hazard predictiveness beyond severity. Product hazardousness was highly correlated with the level of precaution subjects would reportedly take when using the product. For high hazard products the first scenario generated was most severe compared to the other two scenarios. For low hazard products, the first scenario was most probable and the least severe of the scenarios generated. Practical and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.