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Red clothing increases perceived dominance, aggression and anger.
Diana Wiedemann1, D Michael Burt2, Russell A Hill3
1Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Anthropology Research Group, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK diana.wiedemann@durham.ac.uk.
Biology Letters
|May 15, 2015
Summary
Wearing red clothing makes men appear more aggressive and dominant. This color also influences emotion perception, with red stimuli more often seen as angry, suggesting red signals male aggression and dominance.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Color Psychology
Background:
- Red coloration is linked to male dominance and testosterone across species.
- In humans, red is perceived as threatening and dominant, influencing competitive outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if red clothing biases perceptions of aggression and dominance outside competitive contexts.
- To determine if red influences the decoding of emotional expressions.
Main Methods:
- Participants rated manipulated images of men for aggression and dominance.
- Participants categorized the emotional state of stimuli presented in red, blue, or grey.
- Evaluated effects on both male and female raters.
Main Results:
- Men in red were rated as more aggressive and dominant than those in blue or grey.
- Perceived aggression was influenced by red for both male and female raters.
- Only male raters perceived red as a signal of dominance.
- Images in red were more frequently categorized as 'angry'.
Conclusions:
- Color red influences perceptions of male aggression and dominance.
- Red may serve as a cue for predicting male dominance and aggression propensity.
- Color stimuli impact the perception and categorization of emotions.
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