The Influence of Color and Demand Characteristics on Muscle Strength and Affective Ratings of the Environment
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10125030 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jeffrey M Smith (0000-0003-3630-4068, Colorado State University, corresponding author), Paul A Bell (Colorado State University), Marc E Fusco (Colorado State University) |
| Year | 1986 |
| Volume | 113 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 289-297 |
| Publication date | 1986-07-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of General Psychology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0022-1309 • E-ISSN: 1940-0888 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00221309.1986.9711040 |
| PMID | 3760846 |
| OpenAlex | W1990947333 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 8 |
Demand characteristics may influence claims that the color pink inhibits muscle strength whereas blue increases muscle strength. In Experiment 1, undergraduates (N = 59; 30 women, 29 men) were told either that the experimenters thought pink would increase and blue decrease strength or that blue would increase muscle strength and pink decrease muscle strength. A hand dynamometer assessed grip strength as subjects stared at each of 8 differently colored panels. Results indicated that men viewing the pink or orange panels had higher grip strength under pink-strengthen than under pink-weaken instructions. The reverse relationship was found for men viewing a green panel. For women, the pink-weaken instructions resulted in a higher grip strength than did the pink-strengthen instructions, regardless of actual color present. In Experiment 2, women in a no-instruction control condition had lower grip strength than women given the pink-weaken instructions. For men, the control (no-instruction) condition resulted in higher grip strength than the pink-weaken condition. Results of both studies suggest that men followed overt demand characteristics but that women reacted with increased intensity to any suggestion that a stereotypically feminine pink is associated with weakness
Advertising · Business · Colored · Composite material · Grip strength · Muscle strength · Physical medicine and rehabilitation · Physical strength · Physical therapy · Color perception and design · Materials Science · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology
| Citations per year | 0.05 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2007 - 2007 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |