Abstract: |
The color-in-context theory and ecological valence theory suggest that color prefer-6 ence depends on the context and ecological object that define the psychological 7 meanings of colors. The present study was conducted to identify the preference for 8 the color red in national flags across the world. We explored 192 national flags across 9 the world and found that red was the most frequently used color. Through a systemic 10 examination of symbolic meanings behind use of the color red in flags, it was also 11 found that the color red was often attached with an aggressive connotation. In con-12 trast, the flags of the selected international collaborative organizations did not appear 13 to prefer red. These results support the hypothesis of “red flag preference” in real-14 world competitive contexts. Limitations and future research directions are also 15 discussed.
|