Our color perception can affect many things in our lives. The colors we see may alter how we experience taste and temperature, so it’s not impossible that they could influence other areas of our lives, too.
Researchers have been studying the correlation between colors and time perception and have found some interesting results. Does this mean that colors can actually change how we perceive time?
What Studies Say About Color and Time Perception
Several studies have explored the relationship between color and time perception. They usually focus on the colors red and blue, but some go a step further by adding a third color to deepen the analysis. Let’s take a look at what four different studies discovered.
2018 Study Explores How Red and Blue Affect Time Perception
A study published in January 2018 examined the colors red and blue to determine whether they can influence time perception. Sixteen students participated in the study in exchange for extra credit. Each student went into soundproof booths that displayed red or blue lights, and the colors were presented to participants for the same amount of time. After viewing both colors, participants had to determine which color they thought was present for longer.
Researchers guessed that the participants would overestimate the time red was present more often. Red is an energetic color that can overwhelm people in large amounts. So, it would make sense that the duration might feel longer during red lighting because people want to rush through it. However, this study indicated the opposite. Participants more commonly overestimated the duration of blue lighting than red lighting, perceiving it as lasting longer than it actually did.
While the results were surprising, they only indicated the thoughts of a small group. If more people participate in studies like this and if this concept is studied in more ways, researchers will better understand the correlation between color and time perception and what results like this mean.
BBC Earth Science Conducts a Similar Study in 2019
In 2019, BBC Earth shared a YouTube video showcasing a similar study to the one above. In this study, researchers set up three colored pods with different colored lighting: blue, red, and white. The white pod was a control pod to compare results with the red and blue pods.
The study had 150 participants, including both children and adults. Participants were told to stand in each pod until they thought a minute had passed. Researchers suspected the same results as the researchers in the 2018 study. They thought people would think a minute had passed sooner in the red lighting because high-energy colors like red may increase anxiety in large amounts, making them want the minute to be over faster. On the other hand, blue causes calmness, which could make a minute not feel as long.
Overall, the results showed that a minute seemed to last about 11 seconds shorter for people in the blue pods, which was the opposite of expectations. A possible explanation is that red made people more aware of their surroundings, causing them to tell when a minute was up more accurately rather than overestimating the time.
Like most studies, more data would be beneficial. Perhaps increasing the time in the pods or increasing the number of participants could have different results. Yet, based on the information from these two studies, blue speeds up time more than red does.
2014 Study Reveals Gender Differences in Time Perception and Color
Not all studies found the same results for red and blue associated with time perception. This study from 2014 focused on the effects of the color red for adults, both men and women. The participants were 74 undergraduate students (37 men and 37 women). Researchers asked participants to determine the amount of time they were shown a red screen versus a blue screen.
Instead of grouping all the findings together, researchers compared the results of the male and female participants. In this study, men were much more likely to overestimate the duration of the red screen, while women almost always estimated the red and blue screens to be the same duration. The men who overestimated the red screen also experienced faster reaction times.
Since red can make people feel alert and overstimulated, it could speed up the internal clock and make time feel longer than it actually is. These results are the opposite of the above studies, making it unclear whether or not blue or red lengthens our perceived time. The effect may depend on the individual and the context, but more research can help us better understand this phenomenon.
2004 Study Examines Screen Colors and Perceived Loading Times
In May 2004, researchers conducted a study to see if the color of a screen makes the page’s loading time seem longer or shorter. Instead of using red and blue, the first experiment in this study used blue and yellow instead. Forty-nine undergraduate students participated in the study for course credit. Participants were asked to look at real estate programs featuring houses and apartments. Before the program loaded, students saw a loading screen showing the word “downloading” in a gray box with a blue or yellow background.
The participants later had to rank how fast or slow they perceived the site’s loading times. Even though both the blue and yellow loading pages took 17.5 seconds, most people thought the loading screen with the blue color was faster. This is likely because blue is a relaxing color that doesn’t make people feel impatient, while yellow is a high-energy color like red that might make people focus on the screen more.
Researchers followed the first experiment with several more to study other color and time perception areas. The second experiment was similar to the first, but with red instead of yellow to compare blue to a different color. Like the first method, participants thought the blue loading screen was faster than the red one.
The third experiment looked at the chroma (intensity) of colors. They ran a similar study using varying chroma and value levels for a color. The results indicated that people perceived high-value colors as faster on the loading screen. So, a fourth experiment looked at color and chroma, which came to a similar conclusion. Overall, this study took several different approaches to demonstrate that blue with high chroma speeds up perceived time compared to red and yellow with low chroma.
Why Aren’t Studies Finding the Same Results?
Most studies involving color and time perception focus on two colors: red and blue. Yet, even with only two colors involved, the results aren’t always the same. Some studies indicate that people overestimate time when exposed to red, while others suggest that time feels shorter when exposed to blue. Why aren’t these findings consistent?
The reality is that studies don’t guarantee anything. Instead, they’re just finding evidence. Results can vary based on the people involved, the number of participants, and how the studies work. Even though all the studies mentioned above focus on the same concept, many factors aren’t consistent. If everything isn’t exactly the same from one study to another, there are bound to be some inconsistencies.
By conducting more research, we can learn more about how color changes how we perceive time. However, since studies have different details, there’s no guarantee that all will find similar results.
Why Do Red and Blue Make Time Feel Faster or Slower?
Studies show that certain colors can make time feel faster or slower, but they don’t offer an explanation. It’s up to researchers to study the information and come to a conclusion as to why they got the results they did. In most cases, colors likely shift time perception because of how they make us feel.
If we overestimate time when exposed to red, that’s likely because red is a high-energy, overstimulating color. Being surrounded by red for too long could make people anxious, causing them to speed up time in their heads without even realizing it. If someone perceives time accurately when exposed to red, it could be because red makes us more alert and aware of our surroundings.
When we’re surrounded by blue, we usually feel calm and relaxed. If we overestimate time when exposed to blue, it could be because we felt more at ease and weren’t paying as close attention to the time. However, if someone associates blue with negative emotions, such as coldness or depression, they might be more alert and focused on the time to avoid unwanted feelings.
There are countless explanations for why red or blue might make time seem faster or slower, but it generally all comes down to color perception. How we feel about specific colors and how our environment is set up can affect how we experience the passage of time. So, there isn’t just one clear answer to how color affects time perception.
Using Colors to Improve Time Perception
Even though the correlation between colors and time perception isn’t always consistent, we can still use this information to our advantage. For example, blue is usually the ideal color if we want people to feel more relaxed as time passes because it can have a soothing effect on the mind. Thus, blue could be an excellent color for a waiting room to make people feel less impatient.
Red and yellow are often associated with urgency and heightened awareness, making them great choices if you want people to be more aware of the time. These colors could be used for timed situations, such as businesses where quick turnover is desirable, like fast-food restaurants.
The relationship between color and time perception varies, so it’s important not to rely on these ideas too heavily. Yet, the effects of colors are always worth considering, as using the right colors can positively influence a significant part of the general population.
