title: Is red the colour of danger? Testing an implicit red-danger association.
abstract: Research using participant's self-reports has documented a link between red and danger. In this research, we used two different variants of a Stroop word evaluation task to test for the possibility of an implicit red-danger association using carefully controlled colour stimuli (equated on lightness and chroma). Experiment 1, using words as stimuli, yielded strong evidence of a link between red and danger, and weaker evidence of a green-safety association. Experiment 2, using symbols as stimuli, again yielded strong evidence of a link between red and danger; no green effects were observed. The findings were discussed in terms of the power and promise of red in signal communication.
authors.affiliation: a Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS , ISM UMR 7287, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09 , France.
authors.forename: Karyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pravossoudovitch
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cury
authors.forename: Steve G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Elliot
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D003116:Color; D003118:Color Perception; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057190:Stroop Test; D013561:Symbolism; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: danger; green; implicit association; red; signal communication