Effects of warnings on responsibility allocation

✍ Scribed by Kenneth R. Laughery; Brenda R. Laughery; David R. Lovvoll; Meredith L. McQuilkin; Michael S. Wogalter

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 313 KB
• Volume: 15
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0742-6046
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1520-6793(199810)15:7<687::aid-mar5>3.0.co;2-b

✦ Synopsis

Four experiments explored the effects of warnings on people's allocation of responsibility for product safety. Participants read descriptions of accident scenarios in which injuries occurred during the use of products. They then allocated responsibility to the manufacturer, retailer, or consumer (user). Results of two experiments indicated more responsibility was assigned to the consumer and less to the manufacturer when products were accompanied by a warning (76% -94% to the consumer), compared to a no-warning condition (41% -68%). A third experiment compared responsibility allocations for good versus poor warnings. Consumers were assigned more responsibility (83%) with good warnings than with poor warnings (69%). The fourth experiment again showed warnings played a significant role in the allocations, but injury severity did not. Interactions in all four experiments indicated the role of warnings in responsibility allocations was less for products where the hazards are more obvious. In addition to implications for product safety, the results provide insights into jury decision making regarding the role of warnings in product liability litigation.