An Historical Review of Signal Words: Their Purpose, Meaning and Effect on Risk Perception

The purpose of this paper is to provide an historical review, in the context of the overall effectiveness of warnings, as to: 1) what Signal Words are intended to be; 2) which Signal Words have been used over the years; 3) how they have been used and what they have been intended to convey; and, 4) what they actually mean to the person to whom they are directed.