The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of positive and negative affective states on
comprehension and hazard perception of warning pictorials. The International Affective Picture System
(IAPS) was used to manipulate the affective states of sixty male undergraduate and graduate student
participants. We used sixteen standard industrial warning pictorials, which were representative of a
variety of industries, to assess changes in comprehension and hazard perception. Participants in the
positive affect condition perceived greater hazards from the warning signs than those in the neutral
affect condition or the negative affect condition. Post-hoc analyses confirmed this finding. We discuss
implications for warning pictorials and future research.