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Seasonal Variations in Color Preference.

Karen B Schloss1, Rolf Nelson2, Laura Parker2

  • 1Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Science, Brown University.

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Color preferences shift seasonally, with people favoring fall colors in autumn. This change is explained by the ecological valence theory (EVT) and object activation levels.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Psychology
  • Sensory Science
  • Color Theory

Background:

  • Seasonal environmental changes influence human perception and behavior.
  • Ecological valence theory (EVT) posits that affective valence of stimuli is linked to their ecological relevance.
  • Previous research has not fully explored seasonal variations in color preference.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate seasonal fluctuations in color preferences.
  • To determine if the ecological valence theory (EVT) can explain these seasonal color preference shifts.
  • To assess the role of object activation in seasonal color perception.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed color preferences of participants across four seasons (fall, winter, spring, summer) in the northeastern United States.
  • Utilized a modified weighted affective valence estimate (WAVE) procedure from Palmer and Schloss (2010), incorporating an activation term.
  • Analyzed seasonal differences in preference for specific color categories, particularly fall-associated dark-warm colors.

Main Results:

  • Significant seasonal differences in color preferences were observed, most notably between fall and other seasons.
  • Participants showed a stronger preference for fall-associated colors (e.g., dark red, brown, olive) during the fall season.
  • The modified EVT, including an activation term, successfully explained the observed seasonal changes in color preference.

Conclusions:

  • Color preferences are dynamic and influenced by seasonal changes and the observer's current environmental context.
  • The activation level of color-associated objects plays a crucial role in modulating seasonal color preferences, supporting an extended EVT.
  • Seasonal color preference shifts are not attributable to broad changes in cone-contrast sensitivities but rather to context-dependent object activation.