AAAS Science Roundup

This month's edition features a discussion on my future research topic:

Color and Cognition Color is a fundamental aspect of human perception, and its effects on cognition and behavior have intrigued generations of researchers. Previous research on how color affects cognition, however, has yielded inconsistent findings. For example, some research suggests that red enhances cognitive task performance as compared with blue or green, while other studies suggest the opposite. In a Report in the 27 Feb 2008 Science (published online 5 Feb), Mehta and Zhu sought to reconcile this inconsistency (see the ScienceNOW story by G. Miller). In a series of experiments, the researchers manipulated the background color on a computer screen while volunteers performed a variety of tasks. For those tasks that required attention to detail -- such as recalling words from a list or proofreading addresses -- participants performed better when the background was red, as opposed to blue or neutral. Blue, on the other hand, stimulated creativity. When subjects were asked to name as many uses for a brick as they could think of in a minute, they came up with more creative responses and earned higher creativity scores from a jury of their peers when the background was blue. The researchers surmise that the results reflect the different associations conjured by red and blue. Red often alerts us to danger or mistakes, signaling the need to be vigilant. In contrast, blue is often associated with peace and tranquility, which may put people in a more creative mindset.

Someday, when I publish my ground-breaking dissertation, we will all understand the quantitative impact of aethestics on usability!