Do colors reduce stress? : a study of interaction effect of hue and saturation on stress level

Abstract

Colors have long been associated with various affective and mental health consequences. For example, Red is associated with excitement or distress; Blue is soothing and relaxing as it has a strong connection with the nature realm. Color can be defined in accordance with various dimensions, namely hue, brightness, and saturation, while previous work has shown that varied saturations of the same hue are associated with different valence of pleasantness and arousal. However, little is known about the relationship between hue, saturation and stress, as well as limited studies of colors eliciting calming effect. We have enrolled 52 participants to take part in our experiment to investigate (i) whether hues with lower saturation could reduce stress more effectively than hues with higher saturation, (ii) whether hue interact with saturation in the process of stress reduction; and (iii) whether the emotional response towards the colors exhibited by individuals is consistent and correlate to any stress alleviating effects. Despite the main hypothesis did not yield significant results, we have replicated the consistent association between emotions and colors, and highlighted the intricate relationship between hue, saturation, and brightness. Last but not least, our study has provided diverse and specific avenues for future research into how color can potentially reduce stress.