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The effect of colour on children's cognitive performance
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 23:14 authored by Alice Brooker, Anna FranklinAnna FranklinBackground The presence of red appears to hamper adults’ cognitive performance relative to other colours (see Elliot & Maier, 2014, Ann. Rev. Psychol. 65, 95). Aims and sample Here, we investigate whether colour affects cognitive performance in 8- and 9-year-olds. Method Children completed a battery of tasks once in the presence of a coloured screen that was one of eight colours and once in the presence of a grey screen. Performance was assessed for each colour relative to the grey baseline, and differences across colours were compared. Results We find a significant difference in performance across colours, with significantly worse performance in the presence of red than grey. The effect of colour did not significantly interact with task. Conclusion The findings suggest that colour can affect children's cognitive performance and that there is a detrimental effect of red. Findings are related to the adult literature and implications for educational contexts are discussed.
History
Publication status
- Published
Journal
British Journal of Educational PsychologyISSN
0007-0998Publisher
British Psychological SocietyExternal DOI
Issue
2Volume
86Page range
241-255Department affiliated with
- Psychology Publications
Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2015-11-19Usage metrics
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