A Most Critical Warning Variable: Two Demonstrations of the Powerful Effects of Cost on Warning Compliance

Abstract

The effects of cost on warning compliance have been demonstrated in several previous studies. These studies have shown that cost reduction can dramatically increase compliance with a warning label's intent. The current paper describes two studies which support these previous findings under situations of household consumer product and recreational protective equipment use. In addition, these studies demonstrate that cost reduction can positively influence behavior under circumstances known to be detrimental to warning effectiveness. Such circumstances include low risk perception, familiar products, and inadequate warning labels/signs. These studies also show that increasing the cost associated with warning compliance, even a seemingly minor amount, can have devastating effects on compliance rates. These results indicate that the greatest effort possible should be taken to reduce compliance cost in hazardous situations when warnings are relied upon for hazard control.