Children's Eyes See Bright
Colors
While it may seem
apparent that children prefer bright, bold colors over more
subtle hues, research indicates that children's eyes may not be
adapted to see dull, dim colors very well or even at all.
According to a 2005 research article published by the BBC,
children can see and even appreciate colors as early as four
months old. At that age, however, their eyes may not yet be
sufficiently developed to recognize various shades of color or
differentiate dull colors like grey and brown. According to the
article, researchers showed babies various shades of blue in
sequence on a computer screen, and the babies' attention began
to drift. When the color changed to green, the babies were once
again attracted to the screen. The researchers concluded that
babies are unable to distinguish variations in color, which
reinforces the notion that babies can only see bright, fully
saturated colors. In addition, the research reported by the BBC
appears to negate a long-standing myth that children are
color-blind, though it supports the idea that they are partially
color-blind.
Bright Colors Naturally
Attract Attention
Although children may be
inclined to prefer bright colors because the rods and cones in
their eyes have not fully developed, a preference for bright
colors may be a result of evolutionary developments. Many
naturally occurring foods---like tomatoes, apples, oranges,
bananas and berries---are bright, bold colors when they are ripe
and ready for consumption. By contrast, almost all fruits turn a
brown, black or gray color as they pass their readiness for
consumption and begin to rot. In addition, many dangerous
animals and insects feature bright colors to scare away
potential predators. Hornets, for example, feature bright yellow
bands on their legs and torsos, while highly poisonous coral
snakes feature several bands of bright colors. For these
reasons, research conducted by Color Matters, a research and
education firm specializing in color, concludes that the ability
of bright colors to grab a person's attention may be a naturally
programmed reaction in both children and adults.
Adults Associate Bright
Colors With Fun
According to additional
research reported by Color Matters, adults typically associate
bright colors with fun, happy times. For this reason, many
parents bombard children with brightly colored gifts, paint
children's rooms bright colors, and deliver marketing and
entertainment messages to children through the use of brightly
colored cartoons. Because children are almost constantly
bombarded by bright color, they often become comfortable with
the bright, highly saturated hues and learn to associate them
with pleasant memories. This theory seems to present the
preference for bright colors as a combination of both learned
and biological behaviors, an observation that coincides with
similar research as reported by the BBC.
|
