Red or Other Color? Exploring the Effect of Color Priming on Sport Dancers’ Attraction

Methods: One hundred and twenty sport dancers were randomly assigned to color priming of six basic colors (red, black, blue, green, yellow and white) × 2 conditions (female picture and male picture) in a between-group design study. The experimental group was shown two pictures, one of a male sport dancer and one of a female sport dancer wearing competition uniforms. Color priming was introduced in the experimental instruction, which were presented on a 19cm×15cm rectangle of different colors (red, black, blue, green, yellow, and white). The experimental instruction was as follows, `The picture presented on the screen is a sport dancer in one competition. Please select on a scale of 1 to 9 the attraction of the sport dancer.` The instruction lasted 10 seconds, and then the picture was presented. Participants were given a1500ms-reaction time, intended to impede rational and conscious judgment.

Results: An ANOVA was used to examine the effect of color priming and gender on the judgment of sport dancers’ attractiveness. The analysis revealed a significant color priming effect F=3-185，P=0.01). Participants in the red priming condition gave higher scores than other color priming conditions. There were no significant gender effects F=0-837，P=0.362） and/or an interaction effect of color priming and gender (F=1.085，P=0-373). Least Significant Difference (LSD) analysis revealed a significant effect between red priming and blue, green, yellow and white priming.

Discussion: Future research should consider the color of the uniform, as a red uniform in aesthetic events carries specific meanings that could also affect judgment on the attraction of athletes.