Effects of Colored Light and Colors of Comparison Stimulus and Their Background on Heaviness of Lifted Weight

Abstract

The effects of colored light and colors of stimuli and their backgrounds on participants' perceptions that the weight of a stimulus was identical to a standard weight were examined. A total of 23 women and 19 men, Taiwanese college students ages 20 to 23 years (M = 21.2, SD = 0.8) were randomly divided into three groups, with each assigned to one of three possible colored light conditions. Colored light significantly affected the constant errors between weight perceptions of the comparison and standard stimuli; the perception constant errors under yellow light were significantly less than those under red and blue lights, and the constant errors under red light were less than those under blue light. Stimulus color significantly affected the constant errors, which were significantly greater for white, yellow, red, and blue comparison stimuli than for black stimuli; the constant errors were significantly greater for white and yellow stimuli than for red and blue. Moreover, an interactive two-way effect of stimulus color and colored light was detected; however, no significant effect of color of stimulus background on constant error was observed. Practical applications include development of safe lifting guidelines and package and product design.