As if it were an angry comic character with a reddened face, men who wear red clothes are perceived as aggressive and dominant , according to a recent study carried out by the University of Durham (England).
Fifty men and 50 women participated in the experiment and were shown images of men wearing different colored T-shirts. The volunteers had to rate from 1 to 7 how they appreciated the subjects of the photos based on their emotional state. The men rated those who wore red t-shirts or shirts as more aggressive, dominant and angry than they dressed in blue or gray. Women, for their part, did perceive men as aggressive but not as dominant.
In our society, the color red has been frequently associated with aggressiveness and in some species of animals, this color is a warning sign to predators. According to study leader Rob Barton, “Taken together, our results suggest a clear association between the color red and the perception of anger, possibly related to the role of facial flushing as a natural sign of anger. Research results may have parallels in nature and may provide information on whether it is advisable to wear red in certain social situations.
Previous research has shown that wearing red clothing can have effects in circumstances as diverse as sport, assault, or competitiveness. However, this study published in the Royal Society Journal Biology Letters is the first to identify the effects of color on the social perception of domination and aggression in neutral environments .
“ The implications of our research are that people should think carefully about when to wear red in social situations and perhaps important meetings, such as a job interview. Being perceived as aggressive or dominant can be an advantage in some circumstances, but a disadvantage in others ”, clarifies Diana Wiedemann, co-author of the study.
