Importance of Memory Color

Taken from: E-learning May 16th, 2007

Cari Denby

February 2002

Stephen F. Austin State University

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One of the most influential aspects on the quality of our lives is color. We use our perception of color every day. Without color we could not see traffic signals or enjoy sunsets, and learning techniques would be much more difficult. Color is an important function that signals and helps facilitate perceptual organization. Memory color is a phenomenon in which an object’s characteristic color influences our perception of its color. The study of what colors will maximize memorization skills is important for many reasons. Human beings rely on color to keep order in our lives. Traffic signals, warning signs, and many other signals require perception of color in order to be effective. Without the use of color our world would become chaotic. Finding the colors that are most effective on memorization would increase safety and order in our lives. Also, finding the colors that best stimulate memorization could increase study skills in students, especially those with learning disabilities. The use of memory color could also be used in areas of business such as retail to optimize sales by using colors that are most familiar to people, and will therefore grab their attention. Furthering the study of the effect of color on memory would be beneficial in many areas.

Our lives are kept in order by numerous signs, signals, and devices that provide instruction and precautions. We are constantly adapting these devices in ways that will increase our awareness of their function. Naor (2001) found that color knowledge interacts with object representation in many levels, depending upon the access level that is triggered by the stimulus. Therefore, using colors in signs and signals that are more familiar to people would increase the effectiveness of the devices. A red STOP sign stimulates color knowledge and aids in our recognition of the object and it’s function. Traffic lights are another example of color knowledge interacting with object representation. The color red is a symbol to STOP, yellow is a symbol to SLOW, and green is a symbol to GO. Traffic signals rely completely on a person’s ability to memorize the colors and associate them with certain functions. Other objects, or devices, also require color memory in order to be highly effective. The color red is used in DANGER and WARNING signs. Since red is a familiar color associated with stop, when we see this color on warning signs we automatically stop because our color knowledge is interacting with the objects, or signs. The same is true of yellow CAUTION signs. One problem with using color knowledge for object representation is that as people get older and are affected by presbyopia, colors begin to change because the lens becomes slightly yellowed. Lighter pastel colors begin to look gray to these individuals. Finding bright colors that will visually stimulate the person’s memory will likely increase the safety of elderly drivers and those around them.

Another important impact color has in our lives is on our learning processes. Disorders such as dyslexia are sometimes affected by color. According to a web page on the testing of dyslexia the ‘glare’ of the white paper makes it hard for some dyslexic children and adults to read the page (Dyslexia, 2002 http://www.dyslexia-test.com/color.html.) These dyslexic people are unable to focus on information on plain white paper and, therefore, can’t memorize or learn the information found on the paper. White paper is highly aversive which causes learning to become aversive as well. Colored transparent filters often help with this problem. By simply using a filter to change the color of the paper dyslexic people with this ‘glare’ problem will now be able to concentrate on material found in the paper. Another problem when dealing with color knowledge and memorization is color blindness. This can also be a serious problem if not diagnosed. Using colored flash cards or other color related teaching methods will not be an effective way of increasing memorization skills of color blind students. These methods could actually harm the child’s performance in school. A shade or hue must be found that is stimulating for this individual. The Color Span Test is used to screen for Attention Deficit Disorder. Johnson, Altmair, and Richman (1999) reported that the Color Span Test seems to be a useful measure when screening quickly for aspects of visual and verbal memory. This test requires children to retain color names in sequences of increasing lengths. Familiar colors such as RED, BLUE, ORANGE, BLACK, BROWN, WHITE, YELLOW and GREEN are displayed on a gray background. By using color as a stimuli there is a reduced likelihood that results will be confounded by hierarchical groupings or semantic association. Children begin to develop color knowledge long before they begin formal education. The implementation of familiar colors to beginning students would, therefore, increase their ability to recognize and memorize the information. Kido (2000) found that the color blue evokes high electrodermal values and causes excitation of the sympathetic nervous system. Perhaps the use of this color would increase the memorization skills of students as well. A study by Goolsby (2001) also found that there are age-related improvements on explicit color memory. The explicit color memory task was performed that only differed in test instructions from the implicit color choice task. On the opposite end of the spectrum, as people begin to get older their memory begins to fail. However, Robinson and Cipolotti (2001) found that elderly subjects showed selective preservation in color naming even though they had problems in many other categories such as naming nouns.


Memory color is also an important part of the business world. Success in the sales related area depends on the satisfaction of the customer and the ability to make one product stand out more than the competing product. David (1999) reported that in a study conducted by the Newspaper National Network black-and-white ads had an unaided recall rate of 6 percent, but the only ad using color scored 21 percent. Without even realizing it the customer will use memory color to find areas in a store that are familiar to them. According to Goldstein (2002) familiar colors are seen as being richer and also more saturated. The consumer’s attention will be drawn to displays or signs that appeal to their color knowledge. Many businesses already use brightly colored signs that grasp the attention of the consumer and leave and image in their mind. One example of a billboard that uses memory color to advertise is the “THIS SIGN IS READ” billboard. The reader will recognize the familiar color of red, and also associate the color with the word read. Memory color will be used in this association and the sign will therefore be easily remembered. Tavussoli found that copycat brands acquire meaning from existing brands by using consumer recognition (Tavussoli 2001). People become familiar with certain colors associated with brand name items. When the same colors are used on extension brands, the recognition of color is used, and this is a major strategy used by copycat brands. A good example of this can be found upon examining soda cans of various brands. Practically all brands of the original cola use red cans for packaging, for Dr. Pepper and other brands maroon is used, Sprite and it’s extension brands all use the green can. This is not because there is a mandate specifying the color of can that must be used with a certain product, rather it is a marketing strategy used to appeal to memory color. Businesses not only use color to increase sales, but also to increase productivity and safety of employees. As mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, precautionary signs use familiar colors to convey warnings and precautions when dealing with machinery and equipment. Businesses using this type of signage should be able to reduce employee injury causing an increase in productivity.

In conclusion, color is a very important part of our every day life. Our use of memory color occurs so often we usually don’t even realize it is happening. Many aspects of our lives are affected by color. Some of these areas are signs and signals that bring us safety, learning techniques that incorporate use of memory color to increase the amount of knowledge we retain, and also the use of color in the business industry to increase sales, productivity, and safety. Some solutions to the before mentioned disorders are colored lenses for those with dyslexia, or using the Color Scan Test to screen for Attention Deficit Disorder. Color knowledge is a very influential part of our perceptive lives. Though a great deal of research has been conducted in this area, much more is needed.

References

Davids, M. (1999). Stand Out. Brandweek, Vol. 40 issue 17, Special Report newspapers p4

Dyslexia-The effect of reading through colored filters on Dyslexic children and adults; testing, assessment, and advice for helping. http://www.dyslexia-test.com/color.html

Goldstein, B. E. (2002) Sensation and Perception: Sixth Edition p. 209

Goolsby, B. A., & Suzuki, S. (2001). Understanding priming of color-singleton search: Roles of attention at encoding and retrieval. Perception and Psychophysics Vol. 63(6), 929-944

Johnson, B. D., Altmaier, E. M.; & Richman, L.C. (1999). Attention Deficits and Reading Disabilities: Are Immedeate Memory Defects Additive? Developmental Neuropsychology, Vol 15(2), 213-227

Kido, M. (2000). Bio-psychological effects of color. Journal of International Society of Life Info. Science, Vol 18(1), 254-262

Naor Raz, G. (2001). Understanding the role of color object representation; Evidence for multiple levels of interaction.

Robinson, G., & Cipolotti, L. (2001). The selective preservation of colour naming in semantic dementia. Neurocase Special Issue: Vol 7(1), 65-75

Tavussoli, N. T. (2001). Color memory and evaluations for alphebetical and logographic brand