Test Takers See Red
The color red can affect how people
function: Think of drivers stopping for
red lights.
Researchers have found that red can
also prevent test-takers from performing
their best.
Psychology professor Andrew J. Elliot
says that when people see even a flash of
red before being tested, they associate the
color with mistakes and failure—and in
turn do poorly on the test.
"Color clearly has an aesthetic value,
but it can also carry specific meanings and
convey specific information," Elliot says.