Date Thesis Awarded
5-2024
Access Type
Honors Thesis -- Open Access
Degree Name
Bachelors of Science (BS)
Department
Neuroscience
Advisor
Jennifer Stevens
Committee Members
Bjorg Larson
Randolph Coleman
Abstract
This project explored word associations with colors and shades of colors in a controlled manner to test the hypothesis that people associate negative descriptor and emotion words with darker shades and colors and positive descriptor and emotion words with lighter shades and colors. Two parts were completed. In the first, participants saw 8 colors in 3 different shades for a total of 24 colors presented, one at a time. In a first round of trials, participants were instructed to give the first three words that came to mind when they saw each color. In a second set of trials, participants were instructed to give the first three emotion words that came to mind when they saw each color. In the second part of the study, the words gathered from the first part were presented to a new set of participants who ranked the three-word sets on a scale that ranged from negative to neutral to positive. A main effect of color was found, such that brighter colors yielded word sets judged to be more positive. A main effect of shade was also found, such that the lighter colors yielded word sets judged to be more positive. This research provided an opportunity to discover how individuals' perceptions might affect association of colors in guidance with examination of general biases, the larger implication of skin color biases, and an additional route to studying where color biases originate and how expansive they may be.
Recommended Citation
Gray, Jamesa Mecayla, "The Study of the Potential for Positive and Negative Color Connotation Through Associations" (2024). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 2102.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/2102
