Previous research shows that red impairs individuals' performance on challenging intellectual tasks in achievement situations. However, no research to date has examined this issue in Chinese society. In China, red has a positive connotation in general (unlike in the West), but also has a negative connotation for students, given that teachers mark incorrect answers in red (like in the West). Therefore, the question of whether red promotes or undermines intellectual performance for Chinese individuals needs to be tested. The present research investigated this and found, consistent with findings obtained in the West, that red undermined the intellectual performance of Chinese students. Future directions and potential mechanisms are discussed.
Keywords: China; Colour; Performance; Red.
© 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.