SGM Nov. 2014 Weekly Message Two: “How Light & Color Change Your Feelings, Judgments, & Behavior”

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Welcome back to the November 2014 Edition of Spiritual Growth Monthly. I’m Kevin Schoeninger. Thank you for being with us here at SGM!

Did you know that seeing the color red can subconsciously lower your confidence or raise your sexual desire? Or that the presence or absence of light can either boost your mood or make you susceptible to cheating?

This month, we’re exploring how hidden environmental forces powerfully influence your life and how it feels—without you even knowing it! When you are unaware of these forces, they can steal your attention and alter what you think, believe, and do. Fortunately, when you understand these subtle forces, you can consciously use them to create the life you truly desire!

Last week, we explored the influence of temperature and texture on how we perceive ourselves, others, and the world around us. Something as simple as a hot cup of coffee or silk sheets can do wonders for our relationships. While a cold iced tea and a hard chair can set interpersonal negotiations on edge.

This week, we’ll explore the influence of color, specifically the color red, and light. You may be surprised at just how strongly these two sensations can influence you without you knowing it. Let’s begin with the color red.

As Dr. Thalma Lobel tells us in her book, Sensation: The New Science of Physical Intelligence (Atria, 2014), “Red is not just any color. It is the color of our deepest, most visceral emotions. In many cultures, it represents passion and danger, threat and lust. Red is so intense that we feel its power intuitively.”

It’s no coincidence that red lipstick is so popular or that red is the color used for stop signs and fire engines. Red has powerful emotional significance. Let’s look at several studies which reveal the power of red.

The first thing to understand about red is that it has different effects depending on the context. First, let’s look at how red can affect your performance on mental tasks.

In 2007 American and German researchers set up a series of experiments to explore the effect of red on achievement tests. (p.55-60, Sensation) In their first study, students were given an anagram test in which they were asked to unscramble a series of letters to form words. For example, “belta” becomes “table.”

They divided the participants into three groups. The only difference between the three groups was the color of the participant number at the top of each page—one group had red participant numbers, another had green, the third had black. To make sure the students noticed the numbers, they were asked to check that the numbers were consistent because the pages would be separated at the end.

The results were pretty astonishing. Students who had red numbers at the top of their pages performed significantly worse in terms of the number of anagrams they solved.

In a second related experiment the team gave students an analogy test and used red, green, and white cover pages without having the colored numbers on the test pages themselves. Even though the students only saw the cover page briefly before taking the test, the numbers were still consistent with the first test. Students with red cover pages performed significantly worse than the other two groups.

These studies have been replicated around the world with university and high school students with consistent results. Even more interesting was the fact that, when surveyed about the purpose of these studies, the students did not cite color as a factor—it was a completely subconscious influence.

Subsequent studies showed that not only did red affect performance, it also affected motivation. Those exposed to the color red in a testing environment sought to avoid taking the test when given the option. It seems that red in the context of mental tasks is associated with fear of failure, and evokes nervousness, anxiety, and avoidance behavior—the opposite of what you want in learning environments. Because of this, there is now a strong movement to ban the use of red markings on student papers or in evaluations.

Now, lest you think that “red is bad,” let’s turn to other red effects. What happens when you are wearing the color red?

A number of studies have tested the effect of red in sports competition. A 2005 study by two British researchers “showed that martial artists and wrestlers won more often when they were wearing red outfits.” (p.60, Sensation) A related study of English football teams from 1946-2001 showed that teams who wore red shirts won more than teams with blue, yellow, orange, or white shirts.

Could it be that wearing red makes you feel more powerful and/or that facing an opponent who is wearing red feels more dangerous?

Not only might red influence the competitors, but it can even influence the referees. In a 2008 study, referees who viewed video footage of tae kwon do competition consistently awarded more points to those competitors who wore red versus blue. (p.61, Sensation) This was even true when the colors were digitally switched, so that the original red-wearing competitors appeared to be wearing blue and vice-versa. Those who appeared to be wearing red were awarded more points.

The red phenomenon extends well beyond athletic competition. We see this in the stereotypes of the woman in the red dress or the guy wearing the power red tie. Do these really make a difference?

The answer is “Yes.” Seeing red strongly influences personal attraction and perceived power. Studies across cultures around the world confirm this as a universal effect. Woman and men wearing red are viewed as more attractive and powerful.

Even more fascinating is that someone doesn’t even have to be wearing red for the “red effect” to occur. Several studies have shown that just putting red in the picture creates this “red effect.” In one study, men were shown pictures of women on white or red backgrounds. Those who saw the women on the red backgrounds perceived them as more attractive and desirable. The same results were replicated with women viewing men on red or white backgrounds. (p.78, Sensation)

So how can you use the “red effect” to your advantage?

First off, be wary of your subconscious tendencies related to seeing red in mental performance situations. Notice your reactions, so you can manage them effectively and take them less personally. For example, if you see red corrective markings on your work, recognize that that might raise your anxiety, and make you more self-critical and less self-confident. Being more aware of subconscious influences is a powerful step toward being less affected by them and choosing a different response.

Second, you might wear a bit of red or put red around you when you want to feel more sexy, confident, and powerful. You can have fun with red—and notice the results.

Now, let’s move to our second sensation for this week—light versus dark.

Metaphors related to light versus dark may be the most prevalent in all of human civilization. White and light often symbolize “goodness—purity, morality, virtue and cleanliness—and dark evil.” (p.84, Sensation) We portray angels as dressed in white, white peace doves, white knights on white horses, and use phrases such as “pure as snow,” “light at the end of the tunnel,” “seeing the light”. . . In contrast, we portray evil figures in black, such as Darth Vader and Voldemort, and use terms like blacklist, black cloud, black sheep, and black market.

I’m sure this is not news to you, but it may be surprising just how powerfully these associations may affect you without you knowing it. Lobel describes how she went to a party in which the protocol was to wear all white. She was struck by how kind and friendly everyone seemed to her—and studies seem to back this up. As she reports, “A person wearing white clothes is likely to be perceived more positively than a person wearing black clothes.” (p.90, Sensation)

So, what happens when we wear black? Could wearing white or black influence our behavior and how others see us?

Again, we find some fascinating studies in the world of sports. Two researchers from Cornell University, Mark G. Frank and Thomas Gilovich, examined the penalty records from 15 years of play in the NFL and the NHL. They discovered that teams wearing black were penalized more often.

Subsequent researchers have found that wearing black uniforms increases players’ feelings and actions of aggressiveness. Stunningly, it also influences professional referees. When viewing videos of players in black uniforms, without being aware of it, referees indicated they would call penalties on the black clad more often. This effect held true even when the researchers digitally switched the color of the player’s uniforms. The team in black was more penalized once the uniform colors were switched.

Not only does wearing black influence us, the degree of light versus dark in our environment also has a tremendous influence on our mood, energy, and actions.

It’s a well-known phenomenon that more crime is committed at night, under the cover of darkness. In fact, the best known deterrent to crime is to make an area brighter. Studies also show that the less light in an environment influences the degrees to which we allow ourselves to cheat.

In one study, students were divided into two groups, one was placed in a bright room and the other in a dimly lit room. The students were given a matrix test in which they were to find two numbers that added up to 10. They were given five minutes to complete the test and were to be paid fifty cents for each pair they found. The task was not possible to complete in five minutes.

At the end of the task, the students were asked to write down how many matrices they solved and drop their report into a box and collect payment. Since their names were not on the sheets, it was easy to cheat to collect more money. Unknown to the participants, their performance was able to be tracked by the researchers. The results showed that students sitting in the dimly lit room cheated significantly more.

Not only does a darker environment influence our behavior, it strongly affects how we feel. Since the 1984 research of Dr. Norman Rosenthal, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), has been well-documented. Many people find their mood and energy depressed in the lower light days of winter. The same effect is found when people spend lots of time in darkened rooms. It’s been proven that exposure to light can be very therapeutic in both cases.

Yet, not only does lower light exposure depress our mood, it also depresses our immune function. Our bodies need sufficient sunlight to function well. As a result of this information, you see the tide turning on how we view sun exposure. Rather than being so afraid of skin cancer that we avoid the sun, we would do well to make sure we get enough sunlight directly on our skin to enhance Vitamin D synthesis. This can do wonders for your health.

So, you can see that color and light have a powerful influence on how you feel and act and how you judge others and the world around you. When you become more aware of these subconscious influences, you can monitor your own feelings and judgments, be more wary of making inaccurate judgments against yourself and others based on these subconscious influences, and be more proactive to use these sensations to create the effects you want in your life.

Red and black are not bad or good—they create specific effects in different contexts. Sometimes you might need a little red to feel more sexy and confident or a little black to break out of feeling restricted or shy. Sometimes wearing white may brighten your mood and make you feel and be perceived as kinder and friendlier. And, most of us can probably do with a lot more sunlight to improve our health, energy, and mood.

In our upcoming messages, we’ll explore the effects of height, cleaning, smells, boxes, and light bulbs. Then, we’ll pull all this together in a practical way so you can use this knowledge to consciously embody these metaphors and sensations and create better results in your life and in the lives of those around you.

Until next time,

Make note of your reactions to color and light,

Kevin