Color intensity increases perceived extraversion and openness for zero-acquaintance judgments

Abstract

Research on how color affects psychological functioning has grown in recent years. The majority of these studies have focused on hue or lightness, while paying little attention to chroma. The present research sought to address this oversight in the literature by investigating the degree to which chroma influences person perception, specifically with regard to the Big Five personality traits. Drawing from Conceptual Metaphor Theory, we predicted that perceiving literal colorfulness (i.e., chroma) would influence perceptions of figurative colorfulness (i.e., extraversion, openness). In Experiment 1, participants (n = 351) rated the Big Five personality traits of a male target wearing a high or low-chroma blue shirt. In Experiment 2, participants (n = 164) rated personality traits of 10 male targets surrounded by high versus low-chroma colored borders (green, blue, and red). In Experiment 3, participants (n = 203) rated personality traits of 18 (male and female) targets wearing high and low-chroma clothing (green, blue, and red). Targets surrounded by (or wearing) high-chroma colors were perceived as more extraverted and open than when surrounded by (or wearing) low-chroma colors. A meta-analytic summary indicates a robust effect. Chroma is a perceptual variable that can influence first impressions of personality.