John Seymour, Mathematician and Color Scientist

The Power of Red - a Critical Look at Color Psychology - Wednesday 4:30 - 5:30

Google estimates that there are 700 million webpages on color psychology. Many of these webpages pontificate on the psychological power of color and offer a list of specific colors and their presumed effect on our emotions and decision making. It is common for the authors to provide little by way of explanation for why, and absolutely nothing when it comes to description and citation of solid experimental evidence. How much of this pop psychology on color is supported by solid experimentation? This tutorial surveys the available literature on the psychology of the color red. This is arguably one of the most noticeable of colors and likely the most researched in color psychology, so it can be expected to have a readily discernible psychological impact. Looking at red is thus a litmus test for the whole of psychology of colors.

Bio

John Seymour is an applied mathematician and color scientist, teaching color science at Clemson University and consulting as “John the Math Guy”. John holds 31 US patents, and 71 publications and presentations. He writes a blog described as “applied math and color science with a liberal sprinkling of goofy humor.”

The Inter-Society Color Council advances the knowledge of color as it relates to art, science, industry and design.
Each of these fields enriches the others, furthering the general objective of color education.