Three studies of the psychological and physiological effects on people of colored room interiors are described. Experiment 1 compared a colorful and a gray room, whereas in experiments 2 and 3 red and blue rooms were compared. The results indicate that the color of an interior space will have effects on many different levels. The perception of the room itself was affected, and the colors also had an impact on the emotions and physiology of those who stayed in the rooms. Strong, especially red, colors and patterns put the brain into a more excited state, sometimes to such an extent as to cause a paradoxical slowing of the heart rate. Introvert persons, as well as those already in a negative mood, became more affected than others, which caused severe changes in their performance. The series of experiments described here were among the first to be carried out in full-scale rooms painted or otherwise decorated in various colors. One practical implication is that a moderate use of good color design will serve to improve the overall mood and well-being of people. In future research more emphasis should be placed on color, as just one component in the highly complex real-life situations.

The aim of the study was to determine whether indoor lighting and colour would have any systematic impact on the mood of people working indoors. Earlier studies have mostly focused either on light, colour or windows in laboratory settings. The present study was carried out in real work environments at different seasons and in countries with different latitudes. A total of 988 persons completed all parts of the study. In the countries situated far north of the equator there was a significant variation in psychological mood over the year that did not occur in the countries closer to the equator. When all four countries were considered together, it became evident that the light and colour of the workplace itself also had an influence on the mood of persons working there. The workers' mood was at its lowest when the lighting was experienced as much too dark. The mood then improved and reached its highest level when the lighting was experienced as just right, but when it became too bright the mood declined again. On the other hand, the illuminance as measured in objective terms, showed no significant impact on mood at any time of the year. The relationship between mood and the distance to the nearest window was bimodal. The results also indicate that the use of good colour design might contribute to a more positive mood. It is suggested that in future research light and colour should be studied as parts of the more complex system making up a healthy building.

Architects and non-architects made Semantic Differential ratings of colour samples (chips) and a simulated interior space (a model). In analyses of the total samples' ratings (architects and non-architects) of (a) colour chips and (b) models, and individual sample analyses, (c) architects' chip judgements, (d) architects' model judgements, (e) non-architects' chip judgements, and (f) non-architects' model judgements, five factors occurred, though not necessarily all in any one analysis. These were: (i) dynamism; (ii) spatial quality; (iii) emotional tone; (iv) evaluation; (v) complexity. Linear correlations between parameters of the Munsell Color System and the above factors in the various analyses were calculated, while parallel analyses were carried out employing a graphical technique described by Sivik (1974a) involving isosemantic maps. In all analyses, linear correlations between the colour parameters and judgements were found for the dynamism factor, spatial quality factor, and emotional tone factor. They were associated respectively with chroma, value, and hue. Inspection of the isosemantic maps indicated subsidiary effects of the non-dominant dimensions of a non-linear sort, though the maps also exhibited the linear relations. Linear correlations were low or non-existent for the evaluation and complexity factors, and the complex nature of their determinants was clear from the isosemantic maps. The dterminants of judgements were similar for architects and non-architects, with the exception of evaluative judgements for the models in which markedly different determinants were noted. Comparability of the present findings with other studies carried out in a variety of countries over a 20 year period was high for dynamism, spatial quality, and emotional tone, and it is suggested that there may be something inherent in the response to colour in relation to such judgements. Recent physiological work is discussed, and its limitations in terms of colours sampled and an overconcentration on the hue dimension noted. In contrast, it is suggested that dimensions of judgement, such as evaluation or complexity, reflect to a greater extent culture or training, and are hence independent of the basic colour attributes.

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