SEEING RED; How the color of passion, romance and anger can influence behavior

By: Cody C. Delistraty

Published: Dec 5, 2014; the Atlantic; http://delistraty.com/2014/12/08/seeing-red-the-atlantic/  

Level of difficulty: **

BEFORE YOU READ

·         Do colors have special meaning in society? Explain.

·         To what extent are these meanings dictated by society?

·         Does the way we perceive color have a biological basis as well?

QUESTIONS

1.       Read the story of the execution of Mary Queen of Scots. Why did she want to take of her dress and go to her death dressed in red?

2.       The text states that women who wore red lipstick in a bar on the French coast, they were hit on more quickly and more frequently. Why is this so according to the text?

3.       What conclusion can we draw from Guéguen’s research into the significance of the color red?

4.       Why does the writer think men tip waitresses wearing red more?

5.       The attraction of the color red has its origins in evolution as red means that that person enjoys…………………………………………………………; an interpretation that the human mind extends to…………………………as well.

6.       What serious implication does Andrew Elliot’s 2007 study have?

7.       Elliot reached the above conclusion because…………………………………………………………………………
WRITING TASK
Write a summary of the text you have just studied

SEEING RED KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

The first of these two fascinating texts on color and its influence on our perceptions, motivations and behavior has plenty of novelty value and has lent itself to some serious comprehension questions. Yet the language of the text is simple making it a wonderful activity by means of which to introduce the skills necessary to become a competent reader.

1.       So that the color red would be the lasting symbol that she left behind.

2.       The color red has a long historical symbolism of eroticism; OR, red is the sexiest color. The case of Amsterdam is an example for which I substituted lipstick; it doesn’t mean it has this meaning only in Amsterdam.

3.       Wearing red made women appear more attractive to men and implied greater sexual intent.

4.       Men seem to think a few extra dollars will win that beautiful waitress’ heart

5.       Greater health and reproductive fitness; clothes.

6.       That not only can avoidance motivation be activated subtly, but it can operate subtly as well.

7.       Participants neither expressed nor exhibited any conscious awareness of the influence of color on their motivation and performance.