DANGER! NO HIKING! Risky hiking decisions, framing of normative warning messages, and self-exempting beliefs

Natural resource managers are often dismayed that visitors disobey warning signs, which can contribute to accidents and injuries. This study examined whether normative content within signs as well internal beliefs of the hiker predicted responses messages. College students (N = 198) with recent hiking experience read four hypothetical risky scenarios (e.g., getting too close a cliff edge or bison) were shown varied norm type (injunctive versus descriptive) framing (positive negative). Participants rated likelihood hike get hurt, responded scales measuring self-exempting risk attitudes. Signs descriptive norms negative most effective. Self-exempting better predictors hurt ratings than Results suggest visitor safety might be enhanced by messages include information target beliefs.