Abstract

Sensory stimuli, including color, may play a role in corresponding mood (Wells, 1910). Kaya and Epps (2004) showed participants attribute and associate colors with positive and negative emotions. Compared to previous research, in the present study, participants’ moods were measured while they were exposed to a color. The primary focus of the current research was to see if a color stimulus would influence mood. Secondarily, I also studied mood change among two groups: right-hemispheric and left-hemispheric dominant participants. I wanted to find out whether right-brained participants would experience more change in their mood than the left-brained participants. According to Matikas, Petras, Skusevich, and Darius (2010), the right-hemisphere specializes in perception. There is not a great deal of research about the ways the different hemispheres process color; therefore, it is important to take a closer look into this process with the current research. An online survey was utilized, and participants were randomly assigned a text color. The questions on the survey helped to determine the hemisphere of the brain that the participant uses most readily. Additionally, participants were surveyed on mood in the beginning and at the end of the survey. The results of this study were that there was no significant impact of colors on mood. Knowing this, more research should be pursued so look for a connection.

Recommended Citation

Palmer, Mariah (2017) "The Influence of Color on Mood," Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal: Vol. 1: Iss. 20, Article 17.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/psych_journals/vol1/iss20/17