color and social validation

MTM1532

Tiffany Tse

tset@algonquincollege.com

color

Is the spectral composition of visual light.

Blue

nature - water, sea, sky

feeling - tranquility, calmness

temperature - cool, cold

overtone - trust, loyalty, faith, knowledge

sex - masculine

note - suppresses appetite

Red

nature - fire, blood

feeling - passion, desire, love

temperature - warm, hot

overtone - energy, war, strength

sex - feminine, masculine

note - stimulate people to make quick decisions

Green

nature - growth, trees, land

feeling - rest, heal, calm

temperature - cool, cold

overtone - money, stability, endurance, peace

sex - feminine

note - most restful color for the human eye

Orange

nature - citrus, plants, flowers, sun, fire

feeling - energy, happiness, enthusiasm

temperature - warm, hot

overtone - food, toys, attention, healthy

sex - masculine, feminine

note - increases oxygen supply to the brain

Yellow

nature - sun, light

feeling - happiness, energy, young

temperature - warm, hot

overtone - food, honor, freshness, intellect

sex - feminine

note - stimulates mental activity; when overused,

yellow may have a disturbing effect

Purple

nature - purple is a very rare color in nature

feeling - stability, energy, ambition, sad

temperature - warm, cool

overtone - wisdom, dignity, creativity, mystery, royalty

sex - feminine

note - 75% of children prefer purple to all other colours

Selecting a palette

How do you choose a colour for a layout and design?

Color Wheel

Consider your client

What does the project entail?

Does the client have a specific brand?

Choose a palette from a photograph

http://www.pictaculous.com/

COLOUR CREATES A MOOD

Draws attention

We can use it to create contrast, or make specific elements stand out.

We can define page elements using color.

Light vs. dark

Hall and Hanna (2004) examined how colour combination affects readability and retention by experimenting on 186 test subjects. They found that both the readability scores (measured subjectively through a questionnaire) and the retention scores (measured through a quiz) were higher (i.e. better) when the text was displayed black on white as opposed to white on black.

Light vs. Dark

Buchner and Baumgartner (2007) performed a similar experiment on 80 test subjects, except they measured the subject’s performance on a proofreading task on a TFT display (Hall & Hanna did not mention the type of display they used). Buchner and Baumgartner arrived at a similar conclusion, with users consistently achieving higher proofreading scores when a black-on-white colour scheme was used.

Dark vs. Light

In contrast to the results in these studies, Cushman [1986] found that subjects who read continuous text from positive contrast (light character) VDTs reported less visual fatigue (as measured on a subjective rating scale) than those who read from negative contrast (dark character) VDTs.

Why Do we Click?

Social Validation

unique and independent

People

Have a need to belong to part of a group.

We look to others with similar interests, skills, life experiences.

People

Join groups.

Social networks.

• family

• friends

• class group

• professors

• group projects

• co-workers

Social networks

Make us feel safe.

They are instinctual.

Part of our survival instincts.

We have a strong drive to fit in.

Social situations

People often look to one another on how to behave.

Social Situations

This is unconscious behaviour.

Social situations

We tend to mimic the group behaviour.

Makes us feel safe.

Asch Conformity Experiment

LATANE & DARLEY, 1970S

Participants.

Room.

Questionnaire.

Condition 1

There was only one subject in the room, and that

subject was not aware of the study.

Condition 2

There were three individuals in the room, but two

were aware of the experiment. Those two were

instructed to act unconcerned and continue to fill

out their questionnaires while smoke filled the room.

Condition 3

There were three subjects in the room, all of whom

were entirely unaware of the experiment.

So what happened?

Out of 100 participants, how

many do you think left the

room and to get help?

Condition 1

There was only one subject in the room, and that

subject was not aware of the study.

75%

Condition 2

There were three individuals in the room, but two

were aware of the experiment. Those two were

instructed to act unconcerned and continue to fill

out their questionnaires while smoke filled the room.

10%

Condition 3

There were three subjects in the room, all of whom

were entirely unaware of the experiment.

38%

What does this mean?

For web development?

Where could it be used?