Record Details
The relation of selected physical and personality characteristics to color preferences for clothing
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | The relation of selected physical and personality characteristics to color preferences for clothing |
| Names |
Borror, Merna Jane
(creator) Creekmore, Anna M. (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 1964-05-11 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 1964 |
| Abstract | The aim of the study was to explore the possibility of relationships existing between the warmth and coolness of personal coloring, certain personality characteristics, and the choice of warmth or coolness in colors to be used for clothing. A review of the literature dealing with color preferences indicated that one group of individuals generally preferred warm, bright and intense colors, while another group preferred cool, dull colors. Furthermore, leading authorities in clothing selection suggested that individuals with warm coloring should select warm colors for personal enhancement, while those with cool coloring should select cool colors. There were also reports from research which indicated that individuals who were more outgoing, forward, warm, sociable, and extroverted were found to select warm, bright colors, while others who were more calm, quiet, cool, passive, and introverted selected cool, dull colors. It was, therefore concluded that there might be an interaction between personal coloring, personality, and color preference. In order to investigate these relationships a method was developed for the comparison of personal coloring to Munsell hues. These hues were divided into warm and cool tones of skin, eye, and hair color as well as into blonde and brunette hair coloring classifications. One hundred young women who met the standards set for the four personal coloring classifications - warm blonde, cool blonde, warm brunette, and cool brunette - were selected from the student population at the University. They were presented with three color preference tests which were designed to force a choice between a warm and a cool color fan and between a warm and a cool tone of two groups of six colors - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. They were asked to select the colors which they would prefer to have for their own clothing. The subjects were also presented with Cattell's 16 Personality Factor Test, from which the scores on factors A, C, F, and H were measured. These factors represented personality characteristics that were described as outgoing, forward, warm, emotional, happy-go-lucky, expressive, adventurous, active, and responsive versus reserved, cool, emotionally stable, calm, sober, serious, shy, and restrained. Some of these descriptive terms were found by other investigators to be associated with warm or cool colors. The analysis of the data collected revealed that, for the subjects in this study, the warmth or coolness of personal coloring was, in some instances, related to the choice of warmth or coolness in colors to be used for clothing. The difference in preferences between subjects warm in coloring and cool in coloring was found to give highly significant F ratios. A high percentage of the subjects who were cool in coloring selected the fan of cool colors and also selected more cool tones than warm tones of the colors red, green, blue, and purple. Almost one-half of the subjects who were warm in coloring selected the fan of warm colors. On the other tests slightly over one-half of the choices made by the warm subjects were for warm tones of the color; however, the warm tones of the cool colors were preferred less often than the cool tones. Hair coloring had little or no influence on the selection of warmth and coolness in colors although brunette subjects with warm coloring consistently selected a higher percentage of warmth in colors, with the exception of red, than did any other group. It was found that the warmth or coolness of personal coloring was not related to the personality characteristics measured, nor were there any significant relationships between the warmth and coolness of personal coloring, personality, and color preference. It was, therefore, concluded that for the subjects of this study the warmth and coolness of personal coloring was the only factor that had any relation to the preference for warmth and coolness in colors to be used for clothing. |
| Genre | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Topic | Personality |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/48327 |
