Brainwave and Emotional Responses of Male and Females to Munsell’s Five Primary Colors

Abstract

Purpose: The goal is to use quantified EEG and emotional responses to objectively assess the effects of color using gender-specific EEG data, as well as to analyze emotional responses concerning the psychological effects of color modulation. This study intends to apply these findings in various fields. Through this, we hope to better understand how color stimuli affect cognitive responses, brain activity, and emotional regulation.Methods: In this study, we evaluated the EEG and emotional responses to five basic color stimuli in male and females in their 20s. EEG analysis was performed using the Coefficient of Variation for the Brainwaves (CVBs), which is the ratio of the relative brainwave power difference to the baseline brainwave. The five colors were specified using the Munsell notation and RGB values. Emotional responses were evaluated using 10 pairs of adjectives to calculate the preference index(PI), average preference index(API), and favorability. The EEG and emotional evaluations were statistically analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA in SPSS 22.Results: The EEG responses to the five-color stimuli revealed that both male and female experienced increased concentration and arousal with the red (R) and purple (P) stimuli. Colors yellow (Y) and green (G) caused relaxation and comfort in both genders. While male and females had different emotional responses to each color, the reactions were generally similar. Both male and females preferred the color R, while Y and P were equally popular. Color R significantly activated β and γ waves associated with concentration and arousal in both genders. Warm colors were found to elicit arousal, while cool colors induced feelings of comfort, as evidenced by EEG and emotional responses. The findings showed that EEG and emotional responses to color stimuli were similar across genders and that color had a significant and meaningful impact on brainwaves and emotions.Conclusion: The quantified findings of color-based brainwaves and emotional responses can be applied to various fields that use colors. By leveraging these findings, color perception is expected to have a strong influence on human brain activity and emotional regulation.