Factors that influence color choice – a study of cultural, symbolical and synesthetic behaviors

• Main Author: Ng, Woon Lam
• Other Authors: School of Art, Design and Media
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Visual arts and music::Arts in general; Social sciences::Psychology; Color; Cultural; Pedagogy; Symbolical; Synesthesia
• Online Access: https://aic-color.org/resources/Documents/Proceedings_AIC2021_r10.pdf; https://hdl.handle.net/10356/153117
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This paper is a study of color choice based on cultural, symbolic, or emotional context. This contextual background further connects to basic and strong synesthetic behaviors. There was minimum statistical proof of any universal human response that has a closed relation to cultural or emotional context. The only exception is the basic synesthetic behavior that connects to people’s common experiences. The findings suggest that there are diverse decisions made based on every contextual background. The research findings serve the pedagogical design that includes the teaching of color application related to the cultural, symbolic, or emotional context. The training of color application has to be bound by the pre-defined contextual background. Some basic synesthetic responses may be taught. Extensive discussion of the synesthetic connection between color and other sensing responses should be avoided.