"Reinvent Wheel? Blue Room. Defusing a Bomb? Red Room."

In a color study done earlier this year, scientists and anthropologists marveled at the results they discovered. "Reinvent Wheel? Blue Room. Defusing a Bomb? Red Room." This New York Times article discusses the exploration of human interaction with color in the aforementioned study. Experiments dealt with revealing the relationships behind the colors red and blue and how individuals interacted cognitively when approached with situations involving either color. What these numerous tests revealed was first and foremost the emotion assigned to each color and how certain situations moved individuals to react cognitively. For example, a test was conducted to see whether or not cognitive performance varied when participants saw the color red or blue. Results determined that "red groups did better on tests of recall and attention to detail, like remembering words or checking spelling and punctuation. Blue groups did better on tests requiring imagination, like inventing creative uses for a brick or creating toys from shapes." The article suggests:

"Experts say colors may affect cognitive performance because of the moods they engender."

So, how is this information useful and important to the world of design? When it comes to color choice, designers, artists, and the like, usually think about how intensity, hue, and tonality will shape the relationship between product and user. Many people don't realize how much thought is put into this part of the process in designing a product, or even painting a room. Color choice is not just thinking about what is or is not aesthetically pleasing. Most often, certain hues are chosen to convey or fuel moods in audiences and their relationship with the color(s) at hand- sometimes even moving people to make decisions subconsciously.

Designers in an array of fields can use color to their advantage. Apparently, color has potential power to control situations, make decisions, and speak emotion. A seemingly elementary aspect of life, color choice is arguably one of the most crucial decision for designers. Decisions are usually based on an emotion, and if color can persuade certain emotions within people, then designers have the upper hand on what a product can do for the consumer. The fact that humans attribute emotion, even value, to colors is ample proof to consider appropriate colors in a given situation.

Article found on:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/science/06color.html