IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication Mar 2013

Research Article Learning in Color: How Color and Affect Influence Learning Outcomes

Richard Kumi University of Arkansas at Fayetteville ; Christopher M. Conway University of Arkansas at Fayetteville ; Moez Limayem University of Arkansas at Fayetteville ; Sandeep Goyal University of Southern Indiana

Abstract

Research problem: The purpose of the study is to understand how affective reactions to color impact learning attitudes and outcomes in a computer-mediated learning environment. Research question: How do color differences change affective processes and outcomes in computer-mediated communication? Literature review: Several previous studies exploring particular characteristics and learning in computer-mediated environments influenced the review of the literature. The literature on color psychology indicates that color preferences and affective reactions to color can influence behaviors and attitudes. The literature on goal achievement motivation posits that affective dispositions influence goal orientation, motivation, and individual outcomes. The literature on affect infers that affective reactions are responses to events, and these reactions influence attitudes and behaviors. The current study draws on these prior studies to examine affective reaction to color and learning outcomes in a computer-mediated learning environment. Methodology: We conducted a quasiexperimental study with 79 participants, who listened to a visual presentation lecture with either blue or yellow background and then completed a survey on their affective reactions, learning attitudes, and outcomes. Results and discussion: The results of our study indicate that color is not neutral and may influence learning attitudes and outcomes and, hence, the color of computer technology interface design can influence learning outcomes. Practitioners and academics must take people's affective reactions to color into account in designs and studies of visual information presentations. The sample size and the focus on two color hues (yellow and blue) may have some limitations on the conclusions and generalizability of this study. Future studies should examine more color hues and color saturation to further our understanding of affective reactions to colors and consequent impact on attitudes and behavioral outcomes.

Journal
IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Published
2013-03-01
DOI
10.1109/tpc.2012.2208390
CompPile
Open Access
Closed
Topics
digital rhetoric affect and writing book reviews
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

  1. Melonçon et al. (2020)
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  2. Smith et al. (2016)
    The Communicative Work of Biology-Journal Captions: Lessons for Technical and P…
    Technical Communication Quarterly

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