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Abstract: Bernadette M. Racicot Department of Psychology Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY 12180 The efficacy of two warning-related factors to produce cautionary behavior in a chemistry laboratory task was examined. Experiment 1 compared the effects of a posted-sign warning and a within-instruction warning on behavioral compliance. The results showed that a warning embedded in a set…

Abstract: , less visible ideas (eg, the pas- sage of time), while better designed and un- derstood pictorials tend to represent more concrete, or visible concepts (eg, no smok- ing). If pictorials are designed well and the concepts to be represented are not overly complex, however, the research suggests that pictorials can aid comprehension and recall…

Abstract: Nonverbal symbols such as pictorials are increasingly being recommended and used to convey warnings and other safety-related infonnation. Although fully redundant text and pictorial messages often facilitate performance, it is unknown what may result when textual instructions are accompanied by an incomplete set of pictorials, in which each and every textual item is not supplemented…

Abstract: Stress has been shown to affect perceptual processing and decision making in various domains. Two experiments examined the effect of stress on compliance behavior. The first experiment also examined the effect of warning location. In Experiment 1, participants were assigned randomly to one of four conditions in a 2 (stress)x2 (warning placement) l;,etween- subjects design.…

Abstract: Because young children lack reading skills, traditional text-based warnings can be rendered ineffective. Pictorials might be an alternative for text to conveying safety-related information. Surprisingly, very little research has been conducted to explore the comprehensibility of safety symbols by young children. In the current study, 15 young children, aged 3-6 years ( M = 4.7…

Abstract: Recently there has been increasing interest in enabling consumers to more easily acquire information from over-the- counter (OTC) nonprescription pharmaceutical labels. Standardization of the format of labels is being considered by industry, government, and health-related professional organizations as a way to facilitate their usability. Potentially standardization could assist consumers in quickly locating information that they…

Abstract: There has only been limited research on how to order the multi-hazard warnings in product manuals. The present study examines this aspect using warning statements from manuals of three power tools having multiple hazards associated with their use, maintenance, and storage. This research also examines the relationship between the mean rank ordering and several user…

Abstract: With the growing popularity of the World Wide Web (WWW), more companies are advertisingon the Internet with the intention of influencing purchasing decisions. While companies would like to capture people's attention every time a banner ad appears on a viewer's computer screen, there is some research that suggests that they do not. In Experiment 1,…

Abstract: Kenneth R. Laugher/, Michael S. Wogalter2 1 Psychology Department Rice Univers ity MS-25, P.O. Box 1892 Houston, Texas 77251-1892, USA 2 Psychology Department North Carolina State University 640 Poe Hall Raleigh, NC 27695-7650, USA The safety hierarchy, or hazard control hierarchy, is a priority scheme for dealing with product hazards. It is often referred to…

Abstract: Michael S. Wogalter Departmenl of Psychology North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695-7801 Citizens are frequently asked to make commitments by signing contracts and legal documents that frequently contain phraseology and jargon (sometimes called legalese) that highly-educated citizens often do not understand. In recent years, human factors professionals have become intimately concerned with the design…

Abstract: Warnings have played an increasing role in personal injury and product liability litigation in the United States. Warning experts perform many functions in cases where there are allegations that warnings were absent or inadequate. This chapter describes some of the functions that a warning expert performs in the expert role. The topics considered include legal…

Abstract: A scenario of an automotive accident caused by tire failure is given followed by a human factors analysis of the information available to consumers on tire aging. Consumers have not been told that the age of the tire is a safety concern. It is not easy to decode the date of manufacture on tires. More…

Abstract: Michael S. Wogalter Psychology Department Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY 12180 This study attempted to determine if training and familiarization with a face composite system would improve the quality of the produced composites. Subjects were trained in the use of the Mac-a-Mug Pro system over two sessions during which they constructed eleven composites (six from…

Abstract: Positive beliefs about the validity and reliability of website information are important for users and the success of a site. Users may use these beliefs in making judgments about the veracity of the iriformational content that they encounter on the Internet. This research examined several components associated with Websites that cou ld affect credibility beliefs…

Abstract: concept. As a result, people can fail to comprehend the meaning of various kinds of symbolic forms (e.g., Leonard, Otani & Wogalter, 1999; Mehlenbacher, Duffy, & Palmer, 1989; Schwalm, Shaviv, & Goldschmidt, 2000). By extension to the computer interface, if users cannot identify or recognize the associated meaning of icons in a toolbar, then the…