Comprehension of Warnings and Resulting Attitudes

This study demonstrates that education level and warning vocabulary affect consumer reactions to warnings. Consumers who did not complete high school were not able to comprehend warnings that contained difficult vocabulary as well as warnings with simple words. They perceived products that carry warnings with simple words as safer than products labeled with warnings containing difficult words. Finally, consumers with more education were found to have more negative attitudes toward warnings with difficult words than warnings with simple words despite understanding the warnings equally well.