Effect of background color perception on attention span and short-term memory in normal students

Abstract

Background: Color is a central component of primate vision and perception of color is crucial to scene identification, recognition, and visual memory. Aim and Objectives: The present study was undertaken to find out relationship between color perception and memory. Materials and Methods: Memory tests such as visual digit span test, paired association test, and picture recall test were conducted on 90 subjects divided in two study Groups – I (red) and II (blue) and one control group (white) exposed to different color backgrounds to evaluate the recalling capacity to digits, paired words, and pictures. Results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. ANOVA and unpaired “t-test” were applied to compare the results between study and control groups. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In visual digital span test, Group I (14.36 ± 2.34) showed significant increase in attention compare to Group II (11.77 ± 2.13) and control (12.43 ± 2.27). In paired association test, Group I (16.08 ± 2.46), Group II (16.33 ± 2.77), and control (16.5 ± 2.24) P > 0.05 showed no significant difference. In picture recall test, no significant difference was seen between control (9.7 ± 2.91) and study groups; Group I (10.43 ± 3.22) and Group II (9.63 ± 2.94) (P > 0.05). Conclusion: We conclude that red background color perception has a positive influence on attention span and short-term memory as compared to white or blue color.