Percefitrtnl and Motor Skills, 1979, 49, 60-62. @ Perceptual and Motor Skills 1979
RELATION OF PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS A N D COLOR PREFERENCES DAVID V. STIMPSON A N D MIRIAM F. STJMPSON
Brigham Yorrng University
Sun~nza~y.-150 students responded to the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and ranked color plates from the Luscher Color Test. Regression analysis yielded no relationships of predictive significance between the two sets of variables. An ancillary analysis using sets of random numbers in place of the color preference data yielded results basically similar to those produced in the earlier analysis. Males and females rank ordered the colors identically except for yellow, which was significantly more preferred by males than females.
Color preference has been variously identified as the key to underlying personality dynamics (Luscher, 1971 ) , as a powerful diagnostic and treatment tool for use with psychiatric patients (Birren, 1973) and as having no predictive power at all with regard to a variety of behavior and personalicy variables (Donnelly, 1977; French & Alexander, 1972). Spiegel and Spiegel (1971) reported sex differences in color preference such that females were more likely than males to prefer highly saturated, brighter colors and to like green less and violet more than males. Robinson ( 1975) concluded that introverts significantly prefer cooler and calmer colors in comparison with extraverts, who show a preference for warm, exciting colors. Hooke, Youell, and Etkin (1975), on the other hand, found no significant differences between color-preference groups on any physiological measure of arousal. While the above listing of studies includes only a very small proportion of the total number available in the literature, it is sufficient to establish the substantial confusion and apparent inconsistency surrounding claims about the value of color preference as a predictive variable. The present study was conducted to provide a little clarity. It is limited in its implications to a "normal" population of college age American students and has no psychiatric or cross-culrural in~plications. Ic is concerned entirely with possible relationships benveen color preferences and personality variables in a normal group.
METHOD Participants were 79 female and 71 male undergraduate students enrolled in introductory psychology classes. Each person responded to the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and then sorted a series of eight color plates matching the hues of the Luscher (1971) colors, according to rank order of preference.
RESULTS Data were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis and the resulting intercorrelations are displayed in Table 1. With a sample size of 150, the cor-
61
PERSONALITY AND COLOR PREFERENCE
relation coefficient required for significance at the .05 level is .15 and this, of course, is very low. Only 1 0 of the 120 correlations reported in Table 1 are at o r above .15, .20 being the largest. Meredith ( 1 9 6 7 ) indicates that wich 23 variables intercorrelated and 150 df,a correlation coefficient of .45 would be needed for significance ac p = .05. None of these correlations, chen, approach significance. In facr, even the most highly correlated variables (.20) account for a nonsignificant 4% of the total variance. TABLE 1 INTERCORRELATIONS OF COLORPREFERENCE RANRINGS AND PERSONAL~TY TESTSCORES Edwards Schedule Achievement Deference Order Exhibition Autonomy Affiliation Jnrraceprion Succorance Dominance Abasement Nurturance Change Endurance Heterosexuality Aggression
Grey
Blue
Green
.OO -.02 .07 -.07 -.06 .OO .I0 -.03 -.I2 .19 -.I5 -.03 -.01 -.20 .OO
-.02 -.I9 .OO .04 .12 .OO .08 .01 -.04 .04 -.I5 -.03 .04 .OO .OO
-.03 .OO .02 -.03 -.02 .OO -.02 .OO .12 .02 .OO -.03 -.09 .OO .OO
Red .OO .01 . -.I3 -.I4 .10 .07 .OO -.06 .19 .OO .OO - 08 - 08 .03 .OO
Yellow Violet .OO .04 .02 .09 -.05 .OO .02 -.04 -.lo .08 .07 -.lo .10 .04 .OO
.02 .07 -.I1 -.09 .13 .OO .ll -.I1 -.06 -.09 .03 .12 .01 -.03 .OO
Brown
Black
-.08 .OO .10 .07 -.17 .00 -.02 .02 .OO .OO .I0 -.07 .OO .02 .OO
.OO .ll .04 .09 -.02 -.I6 - 08 -0s 03 -.01 -.05 .16 ,061 -.I7 .OO
In further evidence of the lack of predictive relationships becween color preference and personality variables, sets of random numbers were generated and substituted for the color preference scores for correlation wich the personality scores. Correlations ( p = .05) were noted for only four of the 120 relationships generated. This is fewer than resulted from the color-personality correlations shown in Table 1 but still sufficient to reinforce che observation about the lack of predictive power of these relationships. In fact, the maximum correlation of .20 is similar to that i n Table 1 (-.20). A n additional analysis compared males' and females' rankings of the color plates (Table 2 ) , which are remarkably similar. T h e only notable displacement occurs for yellow, which was ranked third by the males and sixth by the fema!es (Wilkes A = .96, df = 1/148, p = .01). Interprecation must include the observation that for the total sample, the following percencs indicated each color as first choice: violet .22, yellow .19, blue .17, grey .17, red .11, green .08, brown
D. V. STIMPSON 8r hi. F. STIMPSON
62
TABLE 2 RANKOF COLORPREFERENCES FOR MALESAND FEMALES Sex Male Female
Red
Green
Blue
Grev
1 1
2 2
4 3
4
5
Violet Yellow Brown Black G 5
3 6
7 7
8 8
.06, and black .O5. T h e reordering of some colors when comparing percent of first choice with average of rank ordering suggests substantial disagreement about violet, yellow, red, and green, but good agreement about blue, grey, brown, and black. Results of this straightforward examination of the possible relationship between color preference and personality variables lead quite clearly to the conclusion that no relationships of any predictive importance have been discovered. This conclusion is bolstered by the results of the parallel analysis done using sets of random numbers in place of the color preference scores which yielded results not dramatically different from those in the original analysis. I t is important to repeat the caution that these results have no implications for diagnosis of psychiatric conditions and are most generalizable to a population of relatively well-adjusted middle-class Americans. REFERENCES BIRREN,F. &lor preference as a clue to personality. Art Psychotherapy, 1973, 1 , 13-16, DONNELLY, F. A. The Luscher color test: a validity study. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1977, 44, 17-18.
FRENCH,S. A., 8: ALEXANDER, A. B. The Luscher color test: an investigation of validiry and underlying assumptions. Journal of Personality Asresrment, 1972, 36, 361365.
HOOKE, J. F., YOUELL, K. J.. 8r EIXIN, M. W. Color preference and arousal. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1975, 40. 710.
LUSCHER,M. T h e Luscher Color Test. New York: Pocket Books, 1971. MEREDITH, W. M. Basic mathematical and statistical tables f o r prychology and edr/cation. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967. ROBINSON, C . Color preference as a function of introversion and extraversion. Perceptrdal and Motor Skills, 1975, 40, 702.
SPIEGEL,D., & SPIEGEL,P. K. Manifesr anxiety, color preferences, and sensory minimizing in college men and women. Jot~rnalo f Clinical Psychology, 1971, 27, 318-321.
Accepted July 11, 1979.
RELATION OF PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS A N D COLOR PREFERENCES DAVID V. STIMPSON A N D MIRIAM F. STJMPSON
Brigham Yorrng University
Sun~nza~y.-150 students responded to the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and ranked color plates from the Luscher Color Test. Regression analysis yielded no relationships of predictive significance between the two sets of variables. An ancillary analysis using sets of random numbers in place of the color preference data yielded results basically similar to those produced in the earlier analysis. Males and females rank ordered the colors identically except for yellow, which was significantly more preferred by males than females.
Color preference has been variously identified as the key to underlying personality dynamics (Luscher, 1971 ) , as a powerful diagnostic and treatment tool for use with psychiatric patients (Birren, 1973) and as having no predictive power at all with regard to a variety of behavior and personalicy variables (Donnelly, 1977; French & Alexander, 1972). Spiegel and Spiegel (1971) reported sex differences in color preference such that females were more likely than males to prefer highly saturated, brighter colors and to like green less and violet more than males. Robinson ( 1975) concluded that introverts significantly prefer cooler and calmer colors in comparison with extraverts, who show a preference for warm, exciting colors. Hooke, Youell, and Etkin (1975), on the other hand, found no significant differences between color-preference groups on any physiological measure of arousal. While the above listing of studies includes only a very small proportion of the total number available in the literature, it is sufficient to establish the substantial confusion and apparent inconsistency surrounding claims about the value of color preference as a predictive variable. The present study was conducted to provide a little clarity. It is limited in its implications to a "normal" population of college age American students and has no psychiatric or cross-culrural in~plications. Ic is concerned entirely with possible relationships benveen color preferences and personality variables in a normal group.
METHOD Participants were 79 female and 71 male undergraduate students enrolled in introductory psychology classes. Each person responded to the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule and then sorted a series of eight color plates matching the hues of the Luscher (1971) colors, according to rank order of preference.
RESULTS Data were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis and the resulting intercorrelations are displayed in Table 1. With a sample size of 150, the cor-
61
PERSONALITY AND COLOR PREFERENCE
relation coefficient required for significance at the .05 level is .15 and this, of course, is very low. Only 1 0 of the 120 correlations reported in Table 1 are at o r above .15, .20 being the largest. Meredith ( 1 9 6 7 ) indicates that wich 23 variables intercorrelated and 150 df,a correlation coefficient of .45 would be needed for significance ac p = .05. None of these correlations, chen, approach significance. In facr, even the most highly correlated variables (.20) account for a nonsignificant 4% of the total variance. TABLE 1 INTERCORRELATIONS OF COLORPREFERENCE RANRINGS AND PERSONAL~TY TESTSCORES Edwards Schedule Achievement Deference Order Exhibition Autonomy Affiliation Jnrraceprion Succorance Dominance Abasement Nurturance Change Endurance Heterosexuality Aggression
Grey
Blue
Green
.OO -.02 .07 -.07 -.06 .OO .I0 -.03 -.I2 .19 -.I5 -.03 -.01 -.20 .OO
-.02 -.I9 .OO .04 .12 .OO .08 .01 -.04 .04 -.I5 -.03 .04 .OO .OO
-.03 .OO .02 -.03 -.02 .OO -.02 .OO .12 .02 .OO -.03 -.09 .OO .OO
Red .OO .01 . -.I3 -.I4 .10 .07 .OO -.06 .19 .OO .OO - 08 - 08 .03 .OO
Yellow Violet .OO .04 .02 .09 -.05 .OO .02 -.04 -.lo .08 .07 -.lo .10 .04 .OO
.02 .07 -.I1 -.09 .13 .OO .ll -.I1 -.06 -.09 .03 .12 .01 -.03 .OO
Brown
Black
-.08 .OO .10 .07 -.17 .00 -.02 .02 .OO .OO .I0 -.07 .OO .02 .OO
.OO .ll .04 .09 -.02 -.I6 - 08 -0s 03 -.01 -.05 .16 ,061 -.I7 .OO
In further evidence of the lack of predictive relationships becween color preference and personality variables, sets of random numbers were generated and substituted for the color preference scores for correlation wich the personality scores. Correlations ( p = .05) were noted for only four of the 120 relationships generated. This is fewer than resulted from the color-personality correlations shown in Table 1 but still sufficient to reinforce che observation about the lack of predictive power of these relationships. In fact, the maximum correlation of .20 is similar to that i n Table 1 (-.20). A n additional analysis compared males' and females' rankings of the color plates (Table 2 ) , which are remarkably similar. T h e only notable displacement occurs for yellow, which was ranked third by the males and sixth by the fema!es (Wilkes A = .96, df = 1/148, p = .01). Interprecation must include the observation that for the total sample, the following percencs indicated each color as first choice: violet .22, yellow .19, blue .17, grey .17, red .11, green .08, brown
D. V. STIMPSON 8r hi. F. STIMPSON
62
TABLE 2 RANKOF COLORPREFERENCES FOR MALESAND FEMALES Sex Male Female
Red
Green
Blue
Grev
1 1
2 2
4 3
4
5
Violet Yellow Brown Black G 5
3 6
7 7
8 8
.06, and black .O5. T h e reordering of some colors when comparing percent of first choice with average of rank ordering suggests substantial disagreement about violet, yellow, red, and green, but good agreement about blue, grey, brown, and black. Results of this straightforward examination of the possible relationship between color preference and personality variables lead quite clearly to the conclusion that no relationships of any predictive importance have been discovered. This conclusion is bolstered by the results of the parallel analysis done using sets of random numbers in place of the color preference scores which yielded results not dramatically different from those in the original analysis. I t is important to repeat the caution that these results have no implications for diagnosis of psychiatric conditions and are most generalizable to a population of relatively well-adjusted middle-class Americans. REFERENCES BIRREN,F. &lor preference as a clue to personality. Art Psychotherapy, 1973, 1 , 13-16, DONNELLY, F. A. The Luscher color test: a validity study. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1977, 44, 17-18.
FRENCH,S. A., 8: ALEXANDER, A. B. The Luscher color test: an investigation of validiry and underlying assumptions. Journal of Personality Asresrment, 1972, 36, 361365.
HOOKE, J. F., YOUELL, K. J.. 8r EIXIN, M. W. Color preference and arousal. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1975, 40. 710.
LUSCHER,M. T h e Luscher Color Test. New York: Pocket Books, 1971. MEREDITH, W. M. Basic mathematical and statistical tables f o r prychology and edr/cation. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967. ROBINSON, C . Color preference as a function of introversion and extraversion. Perceptrdal and Motor Skills, 1975, 40, 702.
SPIEGEL,D., & SPIEGEL,P. K. Manifesr anxiety, color preferences, and sensory minimizing in college men and women. Jot~rnalo f Clinical Psychology, 1971, 27, 318-321.
Accepted July 11, 1979.
