According to two studies carried out respectively by two researchers from Rochester and North Dakota universities, mood and emotion can affect the visual processes involved in the perception of colours by the eye.

A first study on sadness, published in the scientific review "Psychological Science", has enabled to highlight an alteration of the visual filtering. 127 volunteers have been separated in two groups.

The first group has watched a sad movie, while the second one was watching a comedy, then both groups have answered a questionnaire aiming to parallel the emotions felt with the shades of colours perceived.

The results have revealed a modification of perception of the colours' shades for the participants who had watched the sad movie, especially on the blue- yellow axis. After analysis, the conclusion was that this alteration was caused by the decrease of the dopamine level in the saddened participants. The molecule, responsible for transmitting information between neurons and considered as the " happiness neurotransmitter", is indeed directly involved in the vision of the blue- yellow axis.

 

The second study has enabled to prove that angry persons are really seeing in red: as a matter of fact, the more the blood flow increases with anger, the more our perception of red tints is increased.

This colour is often associated to strong temper. According to the results of this study, this connection is justified: hot- tempered persons are perceiving red shades more frequently and more intensively. Their preference for this colour is therefore not only aesthetic!

These studies mark a first step to understand the relation between our emotions and our perception of colours. They could imply progress, including in psychology, thanks to the development of new types of visual tests.