Republic of the Philippines

Bicol University
College of Social Science and Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Daraga, Albay

Tiffany M. Balde
BS Psychology 2B
Psyc 06 - Experimental Psychology

An Evaluation of the Impact of Color on Object Recognition

John Antonmel Borcelis; Frennie Shanamah Belo; Arabella Bigata

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews the literature of the impact of color in object recognition. It is suggested

that the visual system distinguishes between things using a variety of criteria, such as shape, color,

texture, and motion traits. A thorough assessment of the literature showed a wealth of data

supporting the beneficial impact of color information on object recognition. Color affects object

recognition in a between-subjects design, with the experimental group receiving a colorful image

and the control group receiving a black-and-white image. The independent samples t-test was used

to detect statistically significant differences between mean levels of accuracy in a timed object

identification activity. The maximum number of hidden objects was 46, and the p-value in

statistical hypothesis testing was the alpha level.

 Republic of the Philippines
Bicol University
College of Social Science and Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Daraga, Albay

INTRODUCTION

In this universe, there is not a single thing that does not have a distinct color. Color has

always depended on lights since it develops because of the arrangement of photons at various

frequencies. In visual communication, color is a valuable tool. There are various uses for color. It

can be used to categorize individuals, locations, and objects. A nation's colors can be represented

via a flag. Businesses and academic institutions utilize color to distinguish identities. Colors on a

map can show where there is water, land, etc. They can distinguish and mark various elements.

Colors are turned into icons. Without using words, color may communicate interpersonal

messages. The cognitive sciences are still unsure about the cognitive mechanisms behind object

recognition. We are aware that the visual system distinguishes between things using a variety of

criteria, such as shape, color, texture, and motion traits. It is still unclear, though, how these traits

are to be integrated to identify things. This contribution's goal is to review the literature on the

precise function of color information in object recognition. It is reasonable to wonder what useful

role color might play in daily vision given that the human brain includes specific processes to

handle color perception in the visual world. Humans possess trichromatic color vision that most

likely developed for specialized uses. For instance, color vision could be used to detect ripe fruit

against a background of foliage (Gegenfurtner, 2003; Surridge, Osorio, & Mundy, 2003).

Traditionally, theories of object recognition suggest that objects are recognized based on shape

information, largely ignoring the role of color information (Biederman, 1987; Marr & Nishihara,

1978).
 Republic of the Philippines
Bicol University
College of Social Science and Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Daraga, Albay

When we see an object, color and shape are likely processed in a parallel fashion. Some

studies suggest that the same neural circuits, in early visual cortical regions, process information

about color, shape and luminance (Gegenfurtner, 2003). At some point, this information must be

combined to achieve a unitary representation of the visual world. One possibility is that this

information is combined during the selection of structural description, where color might act as a

cue that limits the range of candidate structural descriptions.

In this paper, the experimenters examine the impact of color on object recognition. A

thorough assessment of the literature showed a wealth of data supporting the beneficial impact of

color information on object recognition in experiments using a wide range of visual recognition

tasks.
 Republic of the Philippines
Bicol University
College of Social Science and Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Daraga, Albay

METHODOLOGY

Design

The researchers utilized a between-subjects design to examine if color influences object

recognition. The BS Psychology 2B students were divided into an experimental group and a

control group. The same image will be shown to both groups, with the experimental group

receiving a paper with a colorful image and the control group receiving a paper with a black-and-

white image. The study seeks to determine whether color affects object recognition.

Participants

A total of twenty-nine (29) second-year participants from Block B of Bachelor of Science

in Psychology of Bicol University - Daraga Campus, aged 19 - 21 were involved in the experiment.

Materials

The resources utilized in this study were colored or black and white images on paper, a

pen, a timer to set the duration of the experiment, and a projector to display the key to correction

and the result of the experiment. The researchers used the software application Statistical

application for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to evaluate the statistical data. This program, commonly

known as IBM SPSS Statistics, aids in the interpretation and determination of study outcomes. To

compare the means of two separate groups and decide whether there is statistically significant

evidence that the related mean levels of accuracy are different, this software will be used as the

determinant and interpreter of the results.

 Republic of the Philippines
Bicol University
College of Social Science and Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Daraga, Albay

Procedure

The purpose of this study was to see how color affected object detection when looking for

concealed things in photographs. This study may help psychologists, psychometricians, educators,

and other test developers and administrators use color and its absence in tests and models that will

take into consideration the diagnostic power of color.

The 29 participants were separated into two groups by the researchers: Group A

(experimental group) and Group B (control group). The classifications were based on the

respondents' chronological ages. They were instructed to sit and do the experiment on a certain

location assigned to their group. The image used in the test protocol contains hidden objects.

Although only one image will be used to test the participants, the test protocol includes two

different sets; Set A will be the colored version of the image and Set B will be the black and white

version of the image. Set B will be made up of the image's black and white rendition.

The 50 hidden objects were part of the test protocol, and both groups A and B were

instructed to search for them. The experiment will last for two minutes and thirty seconds, but to

measure the length of time was not stated during the briefing, nor was the exact score of each

respondent. Both Groups A and B began the experiment at the same time and completed it at the

same time. The test procedure was gathered immediately following the trial. Group A's papers will

be traded with Both Group B and Group A. Each of them will check the papers as a key-to-

correction flashes on the projector. Scores for participants in both groups will be recorded after the

checking.
 Republic of the Philippines
Bicol University
College of Social Science and Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Daraga, Albay

RESULTS

This research experiment sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the greatest total number of hidden objects that can be found in a timed object

recognition activity using colored and black-and-white pictures?;

2. What are the mean levels of accuracy of individuals in a timed object recognition activity of

looking for hidden objects of those using colored and black-and-white pictures?;

3. Is there a significant difference between the mean levels of accuracy in a timed object

recognition activity of looking for hidden objects of those using colored and black-and-white

pictures?

To see if there were any statistically significant differences between the mean levels of

accuracy in a timed object identification activity, the independent samples t-test was used. The

maximum total number of hidden objects that may be found in a timed object identification task

using both colorful and black-and-white images is 46, as shown in Table 1.

Table 2 includes sample size and descriptive information for two groups: (N), the mean,

the SD, and the SEM (standard error of the mean). The test findings are shown in Table 3, and the

p-value in statistical hypothesis testing denotes the likelihood of receiving the observed results or

more.

Given that the null hypothesis is true, the outcomes are extreme. The specified threshold

used to decide whether to accept or reject the null hypothesis is the level of significance, commonly

referred to as the alpha level.

 Republic of the Philippines
Bicol University
College of Social Science and Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Daraga, Albay

Table 1. Raw Data of the Participants

Scores
Participant No. Experimental Group (A) Control Group (B)
1 16 38
2 32 29
3 46 40
4 31 46
5 30 38
6 23 39
7 37 31
8 45 33
9 37 37
10 17 41
11 32 34
12 17 40
13 39 18
14 9 27
15 16
Table 1 shows the raw scores obtained by the participants in each group during the experiment.

Table 2. Descriptive Statistics

Group N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error

(SD) Mean (SEM)
Group A
(Experimental 15 28.933 12.009 3.101
Group)
Group B
14 35.071 7.098 1.897
 Republic of the Philippines
Bicol University
College of Social Science and Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Daraga, Albay

(Control
Group)
Total 29 31.897 10.259 1.905
Table 2 shows the summary of the data obtained from the experiment.

Table 3. T-Test: Independent Samples Test

F Sig. t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Std.

Difference Error
Difference
Equal
Variances 5.660 0.025 -1.660 27 0.109 -6.138 3.698
Assumed
Note: level of significance (α) = 0.05
Table 3 shows the results of an independent sample t-test on both groups.

Statistical Analysis

Data were entered into SPSS for examination of the study topic using the T-Test for

Independent sample. Since the study includes a control group and an experimental group both with

30 respondents, this analysis was chosen.

The raw scores for the experimental and control group are shown in Table 1, with 46

representing the highest score. Table 2 displays the descriptive statistics for both groups, including

mean, standard deviation, and mean standard error. The Table 2 shows that both groups' variances

are not identical, with a standard deviation of 12.0 in the experimental group and 7.1 in the control

group. Table 3 shows that there is no significant difference between the means of the two groups

at the p-value of .109, which is higher than the significance level of 0.05.
 Republic of the Philippines
Bicol University
College of Social Science and Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Daraga, Albay

DISCUSSION

The aim of this study was to ascertain whether approve or disapprove the validity when

looking for concealed things in photographs through the results of object detection influence by

color. A total of twenty-nine (29) second-year participants were given the task to follow the rules

given by the experimenters. Data gathered from the respondents were calculated using a

Independent Samples Test.

The results reviewed in this contribution advance our current understanding of the role of

color information during object recognition. Previous research has established a role for color

information in the early and late visual processes of object recognition. However, many of these

studies did not control for the color diagnosticity status of the objects or investigated only high-

color diagnostic objects (Davidoff, 1991; Davidoff, Walsh, & Wagemans, 1997; Gegenfurtner &

Rieger, 2000; Goffaux et al., 2005; Lu et al., 2010; Wurm, Legge, Isenberg, & Luebker, 1993).

These results suggest that color improves object recognition in the early stages of the visual

processing for all objects. However, because non-color diagnostic objects are not strongly

associated with a color, no further color advantage is expected at the higher processing levels.

Given the limits demonstrated during the experiment, a larger sample size (n>29) is

strongly recommended for more accurate results and data. Future researchers may use a different

strategy than the one used in this experiment to investigate how color influenced item detection

when hunting for hidden objects in photos.

 Republic of the Philippines
Bicol University
College of Social Science and Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Daraga, Albay

REFERENCES

Davidoff, J., & Ostergaard, A. (1988). The role of colour in categorial judgement. Quarterly

Journal of Experimental Psychology, 40, 533-544.

Tanaka, J.W., Presnell, L.M. (1999). Color diagnosticity in object recognition. Perception &

Psychophysics 61, 1140–1153. [Link]

Wurm LH, Legge GE, Isenberg LM, Luebker A. (1993) Color improves object recognition in

normal and low vision. J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform.

[Link]