“Blue Phenomenon”: Spontaneity or Preference?

Abstract

Recent studies of the "Blue Phenomenon" have shown that in some countries outside the USA not 'blue', but 'red' or 'black' is the predominant color choice. It is argued that the differences between countries, in addition to an explanation by cultural factors, might reflecr different formulatiom of the question used to provoke a response. It is shown that in the Netherlands responses to the question to write 'your favorite color' are considerably different from responses to the question to write 'the first color name that comes to mind.' It is concluded that comparison of color-production phenomena over countries requires a better control over formulation of the question.

Colors and cultures: Exploring the effects of mall décor on consumer perceptions

“…Colors often play such a key role because they are associated with consumer cultures or subcultures. The notion of an association between colors and cultures dates back at least to Luckiesh (1927; see also Adams and Osgood, 1973;Philbrick, 1976;Trueman, 1979;Gunnerod, 1991;Wiegersma and Van der Elst, 1988) who proposed that race, customs, and type of civilization impact color preferences. More recent research suggests racial differences in color preferences in the U.S. between Caucasians and African Americans (Lee andBarnes, 1989/1990;Silver, 1988).…”

Some Variables in the Blue (Red) Phenomenon

“…A chi square was calculated over the choice frequencies of red, blue, green, purple, and other colors: x2(4, N = 1 19) = 28.44, p < .001. The predominance of red as a spontaneous color choice in the Netherlands (Wiegersma & de Klerck, 1984;Wiegersma & van der Elst, 1988) was again supported. In the present study, red was chosen by 36% of the subjects; in the previous studies, it was chosen by 43% and 59% of the subjects, respectively.…”

Designing aesthetic concepts: Can it be done?

“…No = number of design elements used in a picture; Shape = different types of shapes used; Hidden = whether the design elements in the picture were hidden behind other elements. color associations integrated into their schema (e.g., Ostergaard & Davidoff, 1986;Scott, 1994;Wiegersma & Van der Eist, 1988). Moreover, it has also been proposed that the symbolic meaning of color can overshadow the direct sensory experience and thus guide how a person responds to a stimulus (e.g., Garber, Hyatt, & Starr, 2(X)0; Mugge, Govers, & Schoormans, 2009).…”