Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Color On Flavor, Tiffany S. Yoo

Honors Capstones

Color and its relation to flavor, is a complex cognitive phenomenon that researchers today are still trying to decipher. The present literature review is an examination of the history of color, process of color perception, the effects of additional factors such as saturation, the exploration of senses that may potentially contribute to perception itself, and the different modern theories suggested. The purpose of this project was to review, revise, and narrow down which theories can be deemed as accurate in terms of the amount of support addressed by modern literature. While a clear-cut answer was not concluded, three potential theories …

Preference For Harmony : A Link Between Aesthetic Responses To Combinations Of Colors And Musical Tones, Sijia Song

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

According to Palmer and Griscom (2013), individual differences in the preference-for- harmony (PfH)—the tendency to prefer stimuli that represent “good gestalts”—is relatively consistent across domains of aesthetic judgment. In the present study, we built upon their findings by showing that PfH for color combinations is strongly associated with PfH for isolated musical chords. We also newly showed that ratings of the harmoniousness of chords are not uniquely predicted by their objective harmonicity (the extent to which their constituent partials resemble a harmonic series), but rather, by a combination of their “smoothness” (the lack of spectral interference between their constituent partials), …

The Effect Of Color, Preference, And The Interaction Of Color And Preference On Short-Term Memory, Shreya Patel

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The link between color and memory has sparked a lot of curiosity over the past few years. Previous research suggests that color can affect short term recall of word lists (Singg, 2017). Other studies have shown that color can generally help increase object memory (Lloyd-Jones & Nakabayashi, 2009). Color increases attention and emotional arousal, which can lead to better memory of certain objects, words, and ideas (Dzulkifli & Mustafar, 2013). This study aimed to determine if there was a relationship between color, color preference, and short-term recall of a list of words. A total of forty participants were randomly selected. …

A Choice Of Color: Does Lingerie Color Affect Perceived Attractiveness And Evolutionary Fitness?, Samantha Luzietti, T. Joel Wade

Faculty Journal Articles

Prior research examining the effect of color on perceived attractiveness is equivocal. Also, no research has examined how the color of lingerie affects perceptions. This research explored the effect of the color of lingerie that a woman was wearing on individuals’ perceptions of her attractiveness and evolutionary fitness. Three colors of lingerie were used in this study: Black lingerie, Red lingerie, and White lingerie. These images were presented to 72 men and 82 women. Participants rated the woman’s perceived physical attractiveness, sexual attractiveness, trustworthiness, nurturance, masculinity, femininity, dominance, healthiness, enthusiasm, social competence, affectionateness, intelligence, short term mate potential, long term …

Effects Of Skin Color And Clothing Color On Perceived Violence And Aggression Of Criminals, Courtney Merchant

USC Aiken Psychology Theses

Introduction: Society has a history of attaching meaning to colors, and few colors have been given as much attention as red and black. In many contexts, these colors have strong negative associations. Red has long been representative of danger and aggression (Young, Elliot, Feltman, & Ambady, 2013), while black represents death and evil (Adams & Osgood, 1973; Sherman & Clore, 2009). Unfortunately, color associations are not limited to clothing or advertisements; skin color is also a subject of negative associations in the form of stereotyping. Darker skinned people, especially African-Americans, have long been subjected to negative stereotypes. The current …

The Effect Of Color On Time Perception And Task Performance, Jake Hensz, Max Hart, Melissa Banuelos, Chad Shire

STEM Student Research Symposium Posters

Program: BS in Psychological Science

IRB#: Pro2018000277

The current study investigates the relationship between color and time perception. Prior research suggests that red stimuli create a greater temporal distortion than other colors, and that the direction of the distortion (i.e. underestimation or overestimation) varies with context. Research also shows that red stimuli tend to have negative effects on performance in academic contexts, perhaps due to the psychological and physiological arousal. This study specifically investigates the effect of arousal on this relationship, being the first to investigate the relationship between red, time perception, arousal, and task performance on a concurrent task …

The Effect Of Wrapper Color On Candy Flavor Expectations And Perceptions, Debra Zellner, Nancy Greene, Monica Jimenez, Arturo Calderon, Yaritza Diaz, Mimi Sheraton

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The color of a product's metallic paper wrapper influences the expectations concerning the flavor of the product. These color-induced expectations are consistent with flavors associated with those colors (e.g., cherry-red) but vary somewhat with the product to be wrapped (e.g., a candy or beverage). Beverages wrapped in green were expected to have a lemon/lime flavor while candies wrapped in the same color were expected to have a mint flavor. Although flavor expectations were affected by the wrapper color there was no effect of the color of the wrapper on the identification of the flavor of a plain white spun sugar …

Short Term Memory And Color, Juan J. Perez

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This study tried to see if there was any difference in memory retention whether the individual was exposed to color or black ink. We looked at how students from College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (N=20) were able to memorize a list of words. Participants were given list of words in either black ink or a mix of colors. They were then asked to repeat back what they remembered from those lists. We found that the students who had the list of words averaged a higher number of words memorized (10.33) vs those students who had the words …

Do Clothing Style And Color Affect Our Perceptions Of Others?, Ariel M. Kershner

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

Prior research has shown that women who wear red clothing or suggestive clothing are perceived as more attractive, having greater sexual intent, and having more negative qualities than women dressed in different colors or less suggestive clothing. This bias towards perceiving sexual intent may be evolutionary or may be due to people projecting their emotions onto others. The current study builds from this research by performing a 2 (color: white or red) x 2 (clothing type: suggestive or non-suggestive) between-subjects experiment. We hypothesized that women would be perceived as more attractive and as having greater sexual intent while wearing red …

The Influence Of Color On Mood, Mariah Palmer

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Sensory stimuli, including color, may play a role in corresponding mood (Wells, 1910). Kaya and Epps (2004) showed participants attribute and associate colors with positive and negative emotions. Compared to previous research, in the present study, participants’ moods were measured while they were exposed to a color. The primary focus of the current research was to see if a color stimulus would influence mood. Secondarily, I also studied mood change among two groups: right-hemispheric and left-hemispheric dominant participants. I wanted to find out whether right-brained participants would experience more change in their mood than the left-brained participants. According to Matikas, …

The Connection Among Color, Lighting, And Anxiety, Mariah Palmer

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Color is a sensory stimuli that is encountered on a daily basis. There is a great deal of differing information pertaining to color research. Some of this research deals with color associations (Boyatzis & Varghese, 1994; Kaya & Epps, 2014). Other research studies the influence of color on emotional states or physiology (Jacobs & Suess, 1975; Kuller, Mikellides, & Janssens, 2008). Much of the prior research has concentrated on two primary colors; red and blue. The current study will look at the ways in which specific lighting conditions influence mood states, more specifically, anxiety levels. This research will have a …

Edge Integration And Image Segmentation In Lightness And Color: Computational And Neural Theory, Michael E. Rudd

MODVIS Workshop

No abstract provided.

A Learning Model For L/M Specificity In Ganglion Cells, Albert Ahumada

MODVIS Workshop

An unsupervised learning model for developing L/M specific wiring at the ganglion cell level would support the research indicating L/M specific wiring at the ganglion cell level (Reid and Shapley, 2002). Removing the contributions to the surround from cells of the same cone type improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the chromatic signals. The unsupervised learning model used is Hebbian associative learning, which strengthens the surround input connections according to the correlation of the output with the input. Since the surround units of the same cone type as the center are redundant with the center, their weights end up disappearing. This …

A Reverse Stroop Task With Mouse Tracking, Naohide Yamamoto, Sara Incera, Conor T. Mclennan

Psychology Faculty Publications

© 2016 Yamamoto, Incera and McLennan. In a reverse Stroop task, observers respond to the meaning of a color word irrespective of the color in which the word is printed-for example, the word red may be printed in the congruent color (red), an incongruent color (e.g., blue), or a neutral color (e.g., white). Although reading of color words in this task is often thought to be neither facilitated by congruent print colors nor interfered with incongruent print colors, this interference has been detected by using a response method that does not give any bias in favor of processing of word …

Equal-Magnitude Size-Weight Illusions Experienced Within And Between Object Categories., Gavin Buckingham, Melvyn A Goodale, Justin A White, David A Westwood

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

In the size-weight illusion (SWI), small objects feel heavier than larger objects of the same mass. This effect is typically thought to be a consequence of the lifter's expectation that the large object will outweigh the small object, because objects of the same type typically get heavier as they get larger. Here, we show that this perceptual effect can occur across object category, where there are no strong expectations about the correspondence between size and mass. One group of participants lifted same-colored large and small cubes with the same mass as one another, while another group lifted differently-colored large and …

Application Of Visual Cues On 3d Dynamic Visualizations For Engineering Technology Students And Effects On Spatial Visualization Ability: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Petros Katsioloudis, Vukica Jovanovic, Mildred Jones

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Several theorists believe that different types of visual cues influence cognition and behavior through learned associations; however, research provides inconsistent results. Considering this, a quasi-experimental study was done to determine if there are significant positive effects of visual cues (color blue) and to identify if a positive increase in spatial visualization ability for students in engineering technology courses is observed. According to the results of this study it is suggested that the use of the specific visual cue (color blue) provides no statistically significant higher scores versus the treatment that did not utilize any visual cues.

The Effects Of Affective Arousal On Color Perception And Memory, Nicole Elizabeth Lang

Senior Projects Spring 2016

The link between affective arousal, color perception, and color memory was explored by inducing fear, sadness, or embarrassment in 158 participants who them completed a color perception and memory task. It was predicted that participants experiencing fear or embarrassment would more often correctly identify and remember red and green than a neutral condition whereas experiencing sadness would lead to less correct identification and memory for blue and yellow than neutral. There was only a marginally significant effect of fear on color memory for red. In the low arousal condition, there was an effect of fear on color memory for green …

Color Me, Please: How Color-Emotion Pairs Affect Our Perceptions, Russell T. Rogers

Honors College Theses

Color-emotion pairings are part of everyday experience, and they develop in early childhood. Emotional experiences are typically much stronger when emotional stimuli (e.g., pictures or videos) are paired with sensory stimuli (e.g., sights or sounds). Since the presence of these sensory stimuli seems to heighten the emotional experience of emotion-evoking visual stimuli, it should be the case that such pairings will allow the manipulation of color-emotion pairings through the presence of a color (a visual stimulus) during an emotional situation (such as watching a video). In this study (N = 44), we paired both a positive and negative video …

Distinct Effects Of Contrast And Color On Subjective Rating Of Fearfulness, Zhengang Lu, Bingbing Guo, Anne Boguslavsky, Marcus Cappiello, Weiwei Zhang, Ming Meng

Dartmouth Scholarship

Natural scenes provide important affective cues for observers to avoid danger. From an adaptationist perspective, such cues affect the behavior of the observer and shape the evolution of the observer’s response. It is evolutionarily significant for individuals to extract affective information from the environment as quickly and as efficiently as possible. However, the nearly endless variations in physical appearance of natural scenes present a fundamental challenge for perceiving significant visual information. How image-level properties, such as contrast and color, influence the extraction of affective information leading to subjective emotional perception is unclear. On the one hand, studies have shown that …

The Effects Of Room Color On Stress Perception: Red Versus Green Environments, Teresa M. Kutchma

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of red versus green room colors on individual perception of stress. Room color was found through previous studies to have specific effects on psychomotor activity and emotional states. Correlations were found between red room color and emotional and physical stimulation, while green was associated with inhibitory effects. Additionally, Goldstein’s theory of color perception showed that red has stimulating effects on human behavior. Subjects consisted of 15 female and 15 male college freshmen at Minnesota State University, Mankato. An experimental booth was used for red, green and white room conditions. Subjects …

The Effect Of Color On Emotions In Animated Films, Andrew Kennedy

Open Access Theses

Lighting color in animated films is usually chosen very carefully in order to portray a specific mood or emotion. Artists follow conventional techniques with color choices with the intention to create a greater emotional response in the viewer. This study examined the relationship between color variations in videos and emotional arousal as indicated by physiological response. Subjects wore a galvanic skin response (GSR) sensor and watched two different videos: one portraying love and one portraying sadness. The videos were watched multiple times, each with variations in the lighting color. No significant effects on emotion for either hue or saturation were …

Aesthetically Designed Maps: Development And Perception, Catherine Wang

Graphic Communication

This research explored the creative element of subway map creation in light of its effectiveness. Printed subway maps, used often for metropolitan cities and areas, are limited in physical dimension and scale, carrying minimal information. The New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Tokyo, Paris, London and Moscow subway maps highlight similar design and abstraction that fulfill the basic necessary elements for subway patrons. Over the years since the first metro map for each city was created, maps have become more simplified by removing physical land features and reference points to make way for expanding and new subway lines, stations, and …

Prefrontal Neurons Of Opposite Spatial Preference Display Distinct Target Selection Dynamics., Therese Lennert, Julio C Martinez-Trujillo

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Neurons in the primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) of one hemisphere are selective for the location of attended targets in both visual hemifields. Whether dlPFC neurons with selectivity for opposite hemifields directly compete with each other for target selection or instead play distinct roles during the allocation of attention remains unclear. We explored this issue by recording neuronal responses in the right dlPFC of two macaques while they allocated attention to a target in one hemifield and ignored a distracter on the opposite side. Forty-nine percent of the recorded neurons were target location selective. Neurons selective for contralateral targets (58%) …

The Restorative Effects Of Color And Environment Type On Cognitive Functioning, Jessica Michaelis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although individuals have limited directed attention capabilities, it has been shown that exposure to natural environments elicit cognitive restoration (i.e. Berman, 2008). It has also been shown that individuals prefer blue and green colors because they are relaxing and prompt happy feelings (Guilford & Smith, 1959; Mahnke, 1996; Wexner, 1954). The question however, is what aspects of nature elicit these effects: is it the natural colors, the environmental setting, or both? The present experiment will examine the effects of color (Blue, Green, Black and White, & Natural) and environmental setting (Urban, Foliage, & Aquatic) on measures of attention, short term …

The Influence Of Picture Border Color On Perceived Attractiveness, Melissa Luley

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The influence of color on attraction is a useful area of research, with many sociological and psychological application possibilities. Previous research has examined the relationship between clothing color and attraction, which lead to results finding that the color red influences a higher rating of attraction in the opposite sex. These results came from looking at color as a physical trait on the individual (ie. shirt color). This study examined this concept of color influence from a non-physical trait aspect. Would red have the same influence on attraction if it simply is an association trait rather than a physical trait? Participants …

Color And Brand Design For Multicultural Packaging, Kyle Valdillez

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study is to determine how companies can use the color and brand design of packaging to effectively communicate their products across multiple cultures. Companies are entering new markets overseas where culture is affecting how a product is being perceived. Whether it is positive, negative, or neutral, they must accommodate these influences to potentially increase profits. This study will specifically explore the Spanish and Japanese cultures in comparison to the American culture, concerning the meanings of various colors and their use in brand design. The research methods used were historical research and content analysis. Through thorough examination …

The Effects Of Color On Visual Short-Term Memory, Taelynn Johnson, Zachary Burk, Kassandra Larson, Annalisa Ellsworth

Student Works

This experiment examined the affects of the color of images on the short-term memory of participants. We hypothesized that naturally colored images and unnaturally colored images had differing effects on short-term memory not affected by gender and favorite colors.

Why Is It Difficult To Search For Two Colors At Once? How Eye Movements Can Reveal The Nature Of Representations During Multi-Target Visual Search, Michael John Stroud

Open Access Dissertations

Visual search consists of locating a known target amongst a field of distractors. Often times, observers must search for more than one object at once. Eye movements were monitored in a series of visual search experiments examining search efficiency and how color is represented in order to guide search for multiple targets. The results demonstrated that observers were very color selective when searching for a single color. However, when searching for two colors at once, the degree of similarity between the two target colors had varying effects on fixation patterns. Search for two very similar colors was almost as efficient …

The Color Red Enhances Men’S And Women’S Attraction To The Opposite Sex, Heather Franklin, Jessica Forbes

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Based on previous research, the color red has been shown to enhance one’s attraction to the opposite sex. We hypothesized that if a photo of the opposite sex was framed in red, then people would rate it as more attractive than if the same photo were framed in white. Furthermore, all things being equal, men would prefer the photo framed in the darker shade whereas women would prefer the photo framed in a lighter shade of red. A total of 38 participants were shown five photos and selected the photo they found most attractive. The results revealed partial support for …

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Inverted Spectrum, Timothy Schoettle

Biblical, Religious, & Philosophical Studies Educator Scholarship

It is possible for a person and their environment to be physically identical each day and yet the representational content of their beliefs about color are inverted. Each day they utter the same words, ‘Wow! The colors of everything have switched again today.’ In uttering these words, they express a different proposition each day. This supports the view held by Reichenbach and Carnap that when it comes to representations of colored objects, relations of similarity and difference are fundamental. There are no such things as colors like ‘redness’ and ‘greenness’ apart from the particular things we call red and green.