The Influence of the "Red Win" Effect in Sports: A Hypothesis of Erroneous Perception of Opponents Dressed in Red - Preliminary Test

• Authors: Piotr Sorokowski , Andrzej Szmajke
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Purpose. Psychological research indicates that, in contact sports, the results of sports competitions might be influenced by the color of an athlete's uniform (especially the color red). However, previous research has not yet experimentally verified whether this hypothesis might be a consequence of perceptual distortion caused by moving objects of a certain color, such as red. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of an object's color on the efficiency of performing simple tasks in a basic computer game. Methods. 225 participants aged between 16 and 30 years played nine different "arcade" games of skill, differed by the rules and colors used in the game, where the subjects were tested on their ability to hit, escape from, or outmaneuver certain objects of a certain color (either blue, red or black). The score achieved was then correlated to what effect the color of the objects had on a subject's visual perception. Results. It was found that the study participants were able to hit red moving objects significantly better than blue and black objects. No difference was found in the ability to avoid elements, in all three colors. Conclusions. The obtained result finds that in some games of skill, the color of the used stimulus might significantly influence perceptual efficiency and, therefore, the results and performance of individuals. The results of our study suggest that future research is needed in investigating the meaning and role of colors, as this may be very important, in various sports. The colors used in sports equipment, uniforms, environment, etc., should be empirically verified if they can influence the results of sports competitions.

Keywords

EN

sport; color; "red win effect"; agility; cognition; gender differences

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Human Movement
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 367-373

Dates

published

1 - 12 - 2011

online

25 - 12 - 2011

Contributors

author

Piotr Sorokowski

• University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland

author

Andrzej Szmajke

• University School of Physical Education, Wrocław, Poland

References

• Mahnke F. H., Color, Environment, & Response. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York 1996.
• Ainsworth R. A., Simpson L., Cassell D., Effects of three colors in an office interior on mood and performance. Percept Mot Skills, 1993, 76 (1), 235-241.
• Hatta T., Yoshida H., Kawakami A., Okamoto M., Color of computer display frame in work performance, mood, and physiological response. Percept Mot Skills, 2002, 94 (1), 39-46, doi: 10.2466/PMS.94.1.39-46.[PubMed][Crossref]
• Elliot A. J., Maier M. A., Moller A. C., Friedman R., Meinhardt J., Color and psychological functioning: The effect of red on performance attainment. J Exp Psychol Gen, 2007, 136 (1), 154-168, doi: 10.1037/0096-3445.136.1.154.[Crossref]
• Lichtenfeld S., Maier M. A., Elliot A. J., Pekrun R., The semantic red effect: Processing the word red undermines intellectual performance. J Exp Soc Psychol, 2009, 45 (6), 1273-1276, doi: 10.1016/j.jesp.2009.06.003.[WoS][Crossref]
• Mehta R., Zhu R. J., Blue or Red? Exploring the Effect of Color on Cognitive Task Performances. Science, 2009, 323, 1226-1229, doi: 10.1126/science.1169144.[WoS][Crossref]
• Rutchick A. M., Slepian M. L., Ferris B. D., The pen is mightier than the word: Object priming of evaluative standards. Eur J Soc Psychol, 2010, 40 (5), 704-708, doi: 10.1002/ejsp.753.[Crossref][WoS]
• Ioan S., Sandulache M., Avramescu S., Ilie A., Neacsu A., Zagrean L. et al., Red is a distractor for men in competition. Evol Hum Behav, 2007, 28 (4), 285-293, doi: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2007.03.001.[WoS][Crossref]
• Elliot A. J., Niesta D., Romantic red: red enhances men's attraction to women. J Pers Soc Psychol, 2008, 95 (5), 1150-1164, doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.95.5.1150.[WoS][Crossref]
• Roberts S. C., Owen R. C., Havlicek J., Distinguishing between perceiver and wearer effects in clothing color-associated attributions. Evol Psychol, 2010, 8, 350-364.
• Elliot A. J., Niesta Kayser D., Greitemeyer T., Lichten-feld S., Gramzow R. H., Maier M. A. et al., Red, rank, and romance in women viewing men. J Exp Psychol Gen, 2010, 139 (3), 399-417, doi: 10.1037/a0019689.[Crossref]
• Frank M. G., Gilovich T., The dark side of self and social perception: Black uniforms and aggression in professional sports. J Pers Soc Psychol, 1988, 54 (1), 74-83, doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.54.1.74.[PubMed][Crossref]
• Mills B. D., French L. M., Assertive behavior and jersey color in the national hockey and football leagues: The black uniform myth and reality. J Hum Mov Stud, 1996, 31, 47-60.
• Hill R. A., Barton R. A., Red enhances human performance in contests. Nature, 2005, 435, 293, doi: 10.1038/435293a.[Crossref]
• Rowe C., Harris J. M., Roberts S. C., Sporting contests: Seeing red? Putting sportswear in context. Nature, 437, 2005, E10-E11, doi: 10.1038/nature04306.[Crossref]
• Tiryaki M. S., Assessing whether black uniforms affect the decisions of Turkish soccer referees: is finding of Frank and Gilovich's study valid for Turkish culture? Percept Mot Skills, 2005, 100 (1), 51-57, doi: 10.2466/pms.100.1.51-57.[Crossref][PubMed]
• Szmajke A., Sorokowski P., Permit support in sport: the influence of sportsmen's wear colour on competitions in sport [in Polish]. Medicina Sportiva, 2006, 10, 119-122.
• Sorokowski P., Szmajke A., How does "red win" effect works? The role of sportswear colour during sport competitions. Polish Journal of Applied Psychology, 2007, 5, 71-79.
• Matsumoto D., Konno J., Hata S., Takeuchi M., Uniform color and sport competition outcomes. Research Journal of Budo, 2007, 39, 1-8.
• Greenlees I., Leyland A., Thelwell R., Filby W., Soccer penalty takers' uniform colour and pre-penalty kick gaze affect the impressions formed of them by opposing goalkeepers. J Sports Sci, 2008, 26 (6), 569-576, doi: 10.1080/02640410701744446.[PubMed][Crossref][WoS]
• Hagemann N., Strauss B., Leißing J., When the referee sees red… Psychol Sci, 2008, 19 (8), 769-771, doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02155.x.[Crossref][WoS][PubMed]
• Dijkstra P. D., Preenen P., No effect of blue on winning contests in judo. Proc Biol Sci, 2008, 275 (1639), 1157-1162, doi: 10.1098/rspb.2007.1700.[Crossref]
• Attrill M. J., Gresty K. A., Hill R. A., Barton R. A., Red shirt colour is associated with long-term team success in English football. J Sports Sci, 2008, 26 (6), 577-582, doi: 10.1080/02640410701736244.[WoS][Crossref]
• Kocher M. G., Sutter M., Shirt colour and team performance in football. In: Andersson P., Ayton P., Schmidt C. (eds.), Myths and facts about football: The economics and psychology of the World's Greatest Sport. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle upon Tyne 2008, 125-131.
• Milinski M., Bakker T. C. M., Female sticklebacks use male coloration in mate choice and hence avoid parasitized males. Nature, 1990, 344, 330-333, doi: 10.1038/344330a0.[Crossref]
• Setchell J. M., Wickings E. J. Dominance, status signals and coloration in male Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx). Ethology, 2005, 111 (1), 25-50, doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2004.01054.x.[Crossref]
• Cuthill I. C., Hunt S., Cleary C., Clarke C., Colour bands, dominance and body mass regulation in male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Proc Biol Sci, 1997, 264 (1384), 1093-1099. doi 10.1098/rspb.1997.0151.[Crossref]
• Anderson J. R., Gallup G. G., Self-recognitions in Saguinus? A critical essay. Anim Behav, 1997, 54 (6), 1563-1567.[Crossref]
• Povinelli D. J., Failure to find self-recognition in Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in contrast to their use of mirror cues to discover hidden food. J Comp Psychol, 1989, 103 (2), 122-131, doi: 10.1037/0735-7036.103.2.122.[Crossref]
• Hackney A. C., Testosterone and human performance: Influence of the color red. Eur J Appl Physiol, 2006, 96 (3), 330-333, doi: 10.1007/s00421-005-0059-7.[PubMed][Crossref]
• Davidson R. J., Schwartz G. E., Saron C., Bennett J., Goleman D. J., Frontal versus parietal EEG asymmetry during positive and negative affect. Psychophysiology, 1979, 16, 202-203.
• Little A. C., Hill R. A., Attribution to red suggests special role in dominance signalling. J Evol Psychol, 2007, 5 (1-4), 161-168, doi: 10.1556/JEP.2007.1008.[Crossref]
• Gegenfurtner K. R., Sharpe L. T., Color Vision: From Genes to Perception. Cambridge University Press, New York 1999.
• Koslow R. E., Effects of ball color on horizontal perimetry detection. Percept Motor Skills, 1985, 60, 351-354.
• Pisella L., Arzi M., Rossetti Y., The timing of color and location processing in the motor context. Exp Brain Res, 1998, 121 (3), 270-276, doi: 10.1007/s002210050460.[Crossref][PubMed]
• Scott K., Kingsbury D., Bennett S., Davids K., Langley M., Effects of cricket ball colour and illuminance levels on catching behaviour in professional cricketers. Ergonomics, 2000, 43 (10), 1681-1688, doi: 10.1080/001401300750004087.[PubMed][Crossref]
• Matsumoto D., Takeuchi M., Takeuchi S., The need for leadership and science in judo: The problem of color judogi. Budagaku Kenkyu, 1997, 29, 44-67.
• Rowe P. J., Evans P., Ball color, eye color, and a reactive motor skill. Percept Mot Skills, 1994, 79, 671-674.
• Kimura D., Sex and cognition. Bratford Book, Cambridge 1999.
• Wright J. C., Huston A. C., Vandewater E. A., Bickham D. S., Scantlin R. M., Kotler J. A. et al., American children's use of electronic media in 1997: A national survey. J Appl Dev Psychol, 2001, 22 (1), 31-47, doi: 10.1016/S0193-3973(00)00064-2.[Crossref]
• Kaplan S. J., The image of amusement arcades and differences in male and female video game playing. Journal Popular Culture, 1983, 17 (1), 93-98, doi: 10.1111/j.0022-3840.1983.1701_93.x.[Crossref]

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/v10038-011-0043-5