Consumers' Information Processing Objectives and Effects of Product Warnings

Abstract

Based on human information processing theory it was hypothesized that consumers' information processing objective would influence the amount of time they devoted to examining product labels, their memory for product safety information, and as a result, the likelihood they would comply with safety recommendations. More specifically, it was expected that compared to consumers with an impression-set processing objective, consumers with a memory-set processing objective would: 1) devote more time to examining product labels; 2) recall more safety-related information; and 3) be more likely to comply with safety recommendations. Results provided unequivocal support for the first two hypotheses and only partial support for the third hypothesis.