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Updated: May 2, 2026

Measuring Attentional Biases for Threat in Children and Adults
Published on: October 19, 2014
Is red the colour of danger? Testing an implicit red-danger association
Karyn Pravossoudovitch1, Francois Cury, Steve G Young
1a Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS , ISM UMR 7287, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09 , France.
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.
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