Faces are seen as more dominant when presented against a red background

Two experiments using pictures of male and female human faces in Japan showed that faces were more likely to be perceived as dominant when presented against a red background than when shown against green or gray backgrounds. This effect was observed for both female and male faces. The research was published in Evolutionary Psychology.

Humans perceive a world full of colors and derive significant information from them. They interpret colors through both biological and cultural lenses, associating them with emotions, symbolism, and physiological responses. Colors play a crucial role in human interactions.

Red is often linked to passion, danger, or urgency. It attracts attention and is frequently used to signal prohibition. Blue is commonly associated with calmness, trust, and stability, making it a popular choice in corporate branding and relaxation spaces.

Yellow represents energy, optimism, and warmth but can also indicate caution or warning in certain contexts (e.g., traffic signs). Green is associated with nature, growth, and health, often evoking feelings of balance and renewal. It can also signify permission or indicate that an action is allowed (e.g., green traffic lights). Black symbolizes power, mystery, or mourning, with interpretations varying across cultures. White is frequently connected to purity, cleanliness, and simplicity, though in some cultures, it represents mourning.

Study author Na Chen and her colleagues were particularly interested in how people interpret the color red in human interactions. They conducted a study exploring how placing a picture of a human face against a red-colored background affects the perception of that face’s dominance.

They conducted two experiments using computer-generated images of human faces with varying degrees of dominant features, ranging from highly dominant to completely submissive. The first experiment used images of East Asian female faces, while the second used images of male faces. These faces were presented to participants against red, green, and gray backgrounds. The researchers hypothesized that the color red would interact with facial dominance cues to enhance the perception of dominance in both male and female faces.

Additionally, they conducted two surveys. The first survey aimed to determine whether the observed effect of a red background on dominance judgments extended to simple geometric shapes or was specific to faces. The second questionnaire explored whether the effect of red on dominance was limited to the perceptual color itself or also applied to the semantic representations of color in the background.

Participants in the first experiment included 28 Japanese undergraduate students from Waseda University, with an average age of 20; 14 were female. The second experiment involved another 27 Japanese undergraduate students from the same university.

The results showed that faces were more likely to be perceived as dominant when presented against a red background than when displayed against gray or green backgrounds. This effect was observed for both male and female faces. Furthermore, the surveys revealed that the perception of dominance also increased for shapes presented against a red background, not just for human faces.

“These results suggest that the perception of dominance in both human faces and objects is enhanced by the presence of red, possibly due to evolutionary factors related to the perception of red,” the study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on the way humans interpret color red. However, it should be noted that the study was conducted on two small groups of Japanese undergraduate students. Studies on other cultures and demographic groups might not produce identical results.

The paper, “Red Backgrounds Enhance Dominance in Human Faces and Shapes,” was authored by Na Chen, Yidie Yang, Maiko Kobayashi, Koyo Nakamura, and Katsumi Watanabe.