Citation

Ribar N, Wogalter MS, Mayhorn CB. Proc. Hum. Factors Ergon. Soc. Annu. Meet. 2007; 51(18): 1114-1118.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/154193120705101813

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This research examined the connoted danger level for symbols varying on type of prohibition symbol and depictions showing before- or during-injury consequences. One prohibition symbol was a red circle with a diagonal slash intended to show that the depicted event within the circle should not be performed. A similar, but less commonly used, prohibition symbol is the red circle without the slash. In the present research, 96 participants evaluated a set of symbols on two risk perception scales. Eight of the symbols viewed were manipulated with respect to a base concept depicting before- or during-injury consequences and type of prohibition. The results showed the symbols depicting during-consequence (injury) events produced significantly higher ratings than images showing before-consequence events. Symbols with a circle-slash prohibition were rated higher than the circle-alone prohibition, but only for some of the images. Symbols with both the prohibition circle-slash and during-consequences image tended to produce the highest ratings. In general, scoring participants' written interpretation of the symbols was relatively high for the manipulated images and did not differ as a function of condition. Very few critical confusions were noted (less than 5%) indicating, for example, no apparent confusions of "double negatives" when combining the during-injury consequences and the circle-slash prohibition symbol. More people expressed a negative (don't, no, not, or do not) in the verbal responses for images with the circle-slash prohibition symbol than with the circle-alone prohibition. Results and implications are discussed.

Language: en