Evidence-based color: an explorative study of the quantity and quality of knowledge about the color of Russian design students

Griber Yuliya Alexandrovna Doctor of Cultural Studies Professor, Director of Color Laboratory at Smolensk State University 214000, Russia, Smolensk region, Smolensk, Przhevalskogo str., 4 y.griber@gmail.com Other publications by this author

Ustimenko Yuliya Aleksandrovna PhD in Pedagogy Head of the Department of Design, Smolensk State University 214000, Russia, Smolensk region, Smolensk, Przhevalskogo str., 4 ustimenkoya@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction

One of the most noticeable phenomena of our time has been the rapid change in the type of visual culture under the influence of the development of the production of synthetic pigments and dyes, the improvement of color printing devices and computer technologies ^{[1; 2]}. These processes led to the fact that in the XXI century, color became an integral part of social communication ^{[3; 3]}, and polychromy moved from the category of passive to active ^[5]. In modern socio–cultural practices, from the sphere of service provision to marketing technologies, color is widely used as a tool for influencing a person - for manipulating impressions and emotions ^[6], managing consumer behavior ^[7] and creating a comfortable environment ^{[8; 9]}.

All these events provoke an unprecedented increase in interest in evidence-based design based on evidence and scientific conclusions (from the English evidence–based design - evidence-based, scientific design). The paradigm of evidence-based design differs from the previous one by being less subjective in the development of design solutions and involves the meaningful use in practice of the results of the most convincing empirical studies (see, for example: ^[10].

In the field of color design, the scientific basis of evidence-based design is represented by several strategic lines at once.

First of all, these are studies of conscious reactions to the color of the anthropogenic environment – the psychological mechanisms of color associations and preferences ^{[11; 12]}, the connection of color with emotions and feelings at various levels of human mental activity (see for example: ^{[13; 14]}), the effects of the coloristics of the anthropogenic environment on human well-being and mental comfort (see, for example: ^[15]). This line also includes studies of collective reactions to color of representatives of various social groups (people of different ages, men and women, representatives of different cultures) within the framework of a sociological approach and the emerging sociology of color (see, for example: ^{[16; 17]}), as well as significant experience in specific socio-, ethno- and psycholinguistic studies the color content of individual color concepts ^[18] and the mechanisms of color-related conceptual engineering (see, for example: ^{[19; 20]}).

Another strategic line of evidence-based design consists of psychophysiological studies of the mechanisms of perception and cognitive processing of color information, which are carried out using advanced hardware methods that allow recording galvanic skin reactions to color ^[21], electroencephalographic activity (see the review of studies in ^[22]), oculomotor data ^[23] and motor signals ^[24]. The practical potential of experimental studies of the socio-cultural specificity of the impact of color information on other sensory modalities of human perception (auditory, tactile, olfactory, vibrational, etc.) is also used (see, for example: ^{[25; 26]}).

In recent years, an important contribution to the formation of the scientific basis of evidence–based design has been made by works driven by the applied demands of artistic design - for example, research on the influence of color on the effectiveness of certain forms of activity (sports achievements ^[27], labor productivity ^[28], the educational process ^[29-31]). Within the framework of neuroesthetics of the color interior, its effect on the mental functioning of groups with certain psychological characteristics – people with autism syndrome ^[32], dementia ^[33], various neuropsychiatric disorders ^[34] is studied.

The current social order necessitates the competent implementation of the results of modern cross-disciplinary color studies in the process of professional training of future designers. In the system of modern professional education, evidence-based design is considered as an important methodological basis for the formation of the worldview of future color specialists. However, the growing amount of new and new experimental data makes researchers from around the world express concerns about the ability of modern color didactics to effectively adapt to a changing paradigm. This, in turn, cannot but affect the quantity and quality of knowledge about color of modern students, as well as the principles and mechanisms of using color in everyday design practice (see, for example: ^[35]).

It is also important that evidence-based design, having begun to develop actively in recent decades, has faced a number of problems caused by the implicit unreliability of existing publications on color (see, for example: ^[36]). Evidence-based medicine, which is based on similar principles, constantly deals with similar problems ^[37]. As a result, studies conducted in different countries of the world show a high degree of "contamination" of the knowledge of future designers and architects about color by the prevailing erroneous stereotypical ideas, as well as their skeptical attitude towards the possible use of color in everyday design practice ^[38].

The purpose of the research presented in the article is to use the methodology tested in Sweden and the UK to establish the quantity and quality of knowledge about the color of future Russian designers and compare these parameters with the corresponding indicators of foreign students. The object of the study is the color competence of Russian students, the subject is cross–cultural differences in the principles and mechanisms of using color in everyday design practice.

Methods

Participants

The study involved 187 undergraduate and graduate students of the Design program (147 women and 40 men) aged 17 to 48 years (average age 20.43, SD=3.5) (Table 1). All of them lived in various cities of the Russian Federation and studied at Russian universities during the study profiles "Modern Design", "Environment Design", "Architectural Environment Design", "Graphic design", "Interior Design", "Interior Decoration", "Industrial Design", "Design and Modern Art", "Advertising Design", "Media and Design".

Table 1

Gender and level of training of participants

The research procedure

To assess the quantity and quality of students' knowledge about color, a modified method for determining the index of J. Jensens and B. Michellides was used ^[38]. To diagnose the general level of knowledge, the index was calculated based on a scale of 9 questions, each of which allowed three possible answers ("yes", "no", "I don't know"). Each correct answer was rated at 1 point (Table 2).

Since an important area of applied projection of the new experimental data obtained is the improvement of the complex gerontological infrastructure (wellness, professional, leisure) and the necessary age-related "correction" of the color environment intended for elderly and senile people, we have expanded the format of the study. In addition to the scale of general knowledge about color, we developed a scale to measure the quantity and quality of knowledge about the color vision of older people, which included 9 more statements with the same set of possible options as the first scale.

Table 2

Scales for assessing the level of knowledge about color

The answers were collected during an online survey. The structure of the questionnaire included 4 blocks of questions.

Block 1        Socio-demographic characteristics

                   Education

Block 2        The main source of color information

Block 3        Color Knowledge Index

Block 4        The index of knowledge about the color vision of the elderly

Results

General knowledge of color: Russia vs Sweden and the United Kingdom

An analysis of the answers to the questions of the modified methodology by J. Jensens and B. Michellides ^[38] showed that Russian students are quite well informed about research related to color. The index of general knowledge about color averaged 4.79 and turned out to be higher than the same indicator recorded for students from the UK and Switzerland (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Index of general knowledge about color

students from Russia, Great Britain and Sweden

General knowledge of color: students of different courses

The differences in the index of J. Jensens and B. Michellides ^[38] among first- and last-year students turned out to be insignificant and amounted to 4.76 and 4.82, respectively (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Index of general knowledge about color

Russian students of different courses

Knowledge about the color vision of the elderly: students of different courses

At the same time, the index of knowledge about the color vision of the elderly among first-year students turned out to be one and a half times lower than the same indicator recorded among undergraduates (2.91 and 4.33, respectively) (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3. Index of knowledge about the color vision of the elderly

Russian students of various courses

Sources of knowledge about color

The survey showed that students starting and completing their studies receive information about color from fundamentally different sources (Fig. 4). For first-year students, the main source of information about color (75%) is the Internet (sites and messages in social networks). In addition, they read popular science literature and glossy magazines (57%), watch videos and TV shows (53%). Undergraduates focus primarily on the content of lectures (67%), personal experience (55%) and information posted on various Internet sites.

Fig. 4. Sources of knowledge about color

Russian students of various courses

Evidence-based design: theory vs practice

The overwhelming majority of the study participants answered in the affirmative to the question of whether the results of the most recent experiments with color should be included in the content of the designers' educational program (Fig. 5 on the left). Both senior students (78%) and freshmen (86%) agreed on this issue. However, as in previous studies (cf.: ^[38]), graduate students in general turned out to be quite critical of the possibility of applying experimental data in practice. When asked whether it is worth using the results of recent experiments when choosing the color of the interior, almost 40% of graduates answered negatively, another quarter (25%) found it difficult to answer. For comparison, more than half of the first-year students believe that this is necessary (56%).

Fig. 5. The opinion of Russian students of various courses on whether the results of experiments are needed in the content of the educational program of designers (left) and in their practical activities (right)

The color designer's mission: "synthetists" vs. "idealists"

After analyzing the ideas of Swedish students of the Faculty of Architecture about their future profession, E. Odmann came to the conclusion that, depending on the target setting, they can all be divided into three groups: "heirs", "idealists" and "synthetists" ^[39]. The "heirs" rely solely on their own imagination and experience. The "idealists" are determined to be "submissive" to customers and are going to focus on their specific requests. Finally, "synthetists" consider abilities and knowledge to be the most important components of the profession and plan to be guided by them in their future professional activities.

In relation to the analysis of the results obtained by us, E. Odmann's classification shows noticeable differences in the reception of the designer's mission in the process of searching for a color solution by novice students and graduates (Fig. 6). According to more than a third of first–year students, the designer is rather an "idealist": he must, first of all, take into account the wishes of the customer (38%) and try to implement his requests as much as possible. On the contrary, senior students in color design see themselves primarily as "synthetists". They are convinced that when choosing a color in their projects, the designer, first of all, should rely on the classical theory of color in combination with the results of the most convincing empirical studies (68%).

Fig. 6. The opinion of Russian students of the first (left) and last courses (right) on the mission of the color designer

Conclusions

The modified methodology of J. Jensens and B. Michellides ^[38], which we used to determine the existing level of knowledge about color among Russian students and identify attitudes towards their use of color in future design practice, allowed us to draw a number of important conclusions for our study.

Firstly, Russian students have a fairly high index of knowledge about color and even surpass students studying in the UK and Sweden by this indicator. This is largely due to the fact that the modern training program for designers in Russia necessarily includes at least one color-related course, the topics of which go far beyond the theory of color and are related to color psychology, color sociology and other areas of practical application of knowledge about color (see, for example: ^[40]). Another possible reason may be the fact that research in other countries was conducted earlier, and since then, the results of experiments that were used in the development of a scale to measure student awareness have become much more famous.

Secondly, the value of the index of general knowledge about color is almost the same for students of different courses. This result may be due to the fact that the majority of students enrolled in various design training profiles in Russia already have a general, secondary or secondary professional art education in the form of courses, an art school or even an art school and, accordingly, have basic knowledge in the field of color theory and color psychology.

Thirdly, a lower index of knowledge about the color vision of older people among students starting their studies compared with graduates correlates with differences in the choice of sources of knowledge about color. First-year students mainly focus on popular science sources – videos posted on the Internet, articles in glossy magazines, TV shows and messages on social networks. All these sources often publish unreliable data about color, which, under the guise of scientific facts, "wander" from one publication to another.

Fourth, the more skeptical attitude of future senior designers towards the prospects of using the results of experimental research in their own practice of color design is partly due to the fact that the vast majority of modern works on color are focused on the physiology and phenomenology of color. Such studies only casually concern color in the anthropogenic environment and the mechanisms of color influence on humans.  On the contrary, the authors of psychological research do not always draw conclusions about how practitioners whose professional activities are directly related to color (architects, designers, color consultants, etc.) can use the results they have obtained.

Fifthly, the growth of interest among senior students in using classical color theory in the development of design solutions in combination with proven empirical data, in our opinion, reflects the anthropological turn of evidence-based design and urbanism in general (see appendix: ^[41]). In the modern world, the main motivation for the formation of a color environment is human orientation. Such a change in optics inevitably entails a noticeable restructuring of the methodology of color didactics. Modern designers are taught not just to create technically verified and aesthetically significant color solutions, but, based on scientific facts, to do it in such a way that residents of different social characteristics really feel comfortable and comfortable in them.

In general, the results of the analysis have both practical and theoretical significance and will contribute to further understanding of art education in the world. The research should be continued with regard to expanding the geography of the survey and using the index of special knowledge about the color vision of older people in the study of foreign students, which has not yet been used to analyze the experience of learning color in other countries.