How Does Color Affect Memory?
According to a review published in the Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, color has been found to benefit the function of memory in numerous research studies. Memory refers to the process of encoding, retaining and retrieving information about a person’s environment. There are hundreds of different factors, some biological, that can affect all three of these processes, which in turn affect the way a person stores memories or recalls memories.
In the current research field, there are many variables that are being studied in regards to the potential they carry to alter the way a person stores or recalls memories. Color is one of the variables that is being looked at for its ability to help improve memory. Many scientists believe that color is the single most important visual experience of the human species. Color is often one of the first things an infant learns to distinguish.
In educational settings, color is used to help command attention from students, thus increasing the amount of information they absorb and retain for testing. Advertisers have used certain colors to manipulate emotions in buyers for decades. There is no known evidence to support the idea that color has a negative effect on memories.
