Compliance with Warnings in High Risk Recreational Activities: Skiing and Scuba

Warnings research generally has focused on identifying which factors influence people to read and remember the content of warnings. Additional research has determined that people tend to read warnings if they perceive an activity or product to be dangerous or if they are less familiar with it. However, for practical purposes, reading the label or warning does not go far enough. In addition to examining whether warnings have been read, the current study also addresses user compliance by surveying people immediately after they have completed a high risk recreational activity (either skiing or scuba diving). The three areas examined in this study were whether the perception of danger affected the reading of, and compliance with warnings; whether familiarity with an activity affected reading and compliance; and whether there was any difference in responses between men and women. As expected, the perception of danger and familiarity with the activity increased the reading of and reported compliance with warnings. Many differences were found between the responses of men and women. Although there was no sex difference in whether subjects read warnings, women reported complying with the warnings significantly more than men. In accordance with stereotypes, men were more likely to participate in high-risk sports; claim to have a higher ability in the activity; and participated in the activity more often than the women (in the two years prior to this study).