SAFETY PICTOGRAMS - ARE THEY GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS

This study set out to investigate the role of pictograms in conveying consumer safety information, The experimental work was carried out in two parts. The first part investigated UK comprehension levels of 13 p roduct related pictograms, A new method of judging levels of comprehen sion of the pictograms was developed, In general the pictograms survey ed were found to be poorly understood, particularly those which were a bstract in nature. The second part of the research investigated the ef fect of different warning styles on noticeability and intended complia nce. This was tested using the new European Standard pictogram develop ed to convey the small parts warning on toys. The effect on parents' i ntended purchase decisions of different pictograms and or text message s was investigated, Results indicated that parents' decisions on toy s uitability were influenced by the perceived hazardousness of the produ ct rather than warnings, regardless of their design, The paper discuss es the advantages and limitations of pictograms as a method for convey ing consumer information and makes recommendations for their effective use. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.