Does Color Red Undermine Individuals Intellectual Performance

What does the color red mean to you? Does it have a meaning? If so, is it positive or negative? In China a study was conducted to test whether the color red “undermine individuals’ intellectual performance”. A couple psychologists wanted to test the theory that proposed “that color carries meaning, but also that the meaning that color carries is context-specific and, therefore, the influence that color has an psychological functioning is context-specific” (82). In other words, the main point of the study was to test whether color has a meaning, in this case it was the color red, and if so does it affect intellectual performance on individuals. The experiment tested two hypothesis, hypothesis one predicted that the color red will have no negative
effect on the Chinese sample due to the fact that in China red was associated with positive connotations. Vice versa, hypothesis two stated that the effect will be similar to the one observed in western cultures, “it will undermine individuals’ performance on challenging intellectual tasks”(83), resulting in a negative effect. The study consisted of a total of 58 participants who were currently Chinese undergraduates. The age range was from 19-21 years, with a mean of 20.5 years old. They were told to perform their best solving problems on a Chinese idiom test. They had 20 minutes to complete a set of 15 questions. The 58 participants were randomly divided into two equal groups, 29 each, giving all participants a chance to be part of the control group or experimental group. The two groups were given the questions in different colors. The experiment group was given the questions in the color red and the control group was given the questions in the color blue. The results from the experiment group will then be compared to the control group. The test consisted of two type of question, one was to identify the correct idiom from the four idioms given. The second type was vice versa, they had to choose the incorrect idiom out of the four idioms given. Once given the test, the experimenter then left the room and returned in 20 minutes. The results supported hypothesis 2. The participants who took the test in the red condition performed worse than the participants in the blue condition. In conclusion, “the present research in China showed and undermining effect of red relative to blue intellectual performance” (84), similar to western cultures. At the end the research question was answered, the color red affected individuals intellectual performance and it wasn’t a positive one. Culture and social factors in China influenced the research question of whether the color red undermined individuals intellectual performance. In Chinese culture the color red is associated with two different meanings, positive and negative. “Unlike in the west, red has a positive connotation” (83). For example, in a Chinese society business prosperity can be described as “red and fire” also the “red mother” is referred to the matchmaker. This positive associations leads to hypothesis 1, which proposes that the color red will have no negative effect in a Chinese sample. On the other hand, negative connotations have also been made similar to those in Western cultures. Just like in Western cultures red means stop or it means that an answer is incorrect. This negative connotations lead to Hypothesis 2, which proposes that the color red would have a negative effect which would “undermine individuals performance on challenging tasks in Chinese society” (83). Both observations shaped the research purpose. The study “examined the influence of the color red” (83). The purpose was to determine whether red would have a positive or negative effect on individuals performance. However, the study had it’s limitations, which can affect the results.
First, blue was the only color used to compare results to which means that no achromatic color was used. If black, white or grey were used plus another color other than blue, then the results could’ve been more accurate and provided more explanations. Also, the colors were not verified by a colorimeter, instead the color properties were controlled by the software program. The sample was also very small. There was only 58 participants. If a greater sample was used, the results could’ve been different. Other then limitations, the study had it’s implications as well. In the west red is linked to “avoidance motivation in achievement situations” (84), which mean that the color red has a negative relationship with motivation which interfere with overall performance.However, this explanation has not been proved in China an can not be used for current results. Since in China, the color red is linked to positive connotations “red may evoke approach motivation” (84). Furthering research would help answer more questions and give greater explanations for the
results. This study caught my intention as soon as I started reading that the color red could possible affect individuals intellectual performance.
I found it interesting that the color red actually affected the performance on the test. I find it similar to the association color has with feelings. For example, the color red is associated with love but also with fear, and the color blue is usually used to describe the feeling of being upset. Different colors can change the was you feel meaning that color does have meaning which can be positive or negative. In the West and in China, red has negative connotations and this connotations were reason for the color affect the performance on the test. I would definitely like to reach more studies similar to this and learn more about color associations affecting performance on different
tasks.