Color bizarreness effects in object memory: Evidence from a recall test and eye tracking

• Published in: Color research and application Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 55 - 64
• Main Authors: Morita, Aiko, Kambara, Toshimune
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.02.2022; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: bizarreness effect; Color; eye movement; Eye movements; Learning; object memory; recall test; Tracking
• ISSN: 0361-2317; 1520-6378
• DOI: 10.1002/col.22697

The main purpose of this study was to examine whether we could find a color bizarreness effect in object memory. Given robust results that objects with bizarre shapes are remembered better than those with common shapes, we would also expect to find a color bizarreness effect. In experiment 1, as in most studies of bizarreness effects, participants were presented pictures one by one in the learning phase, and recalled the object names in the test phase. In experiment 2, we presented multiple objects simultaneously in the learning phase and measured how long participants looked at each object by eye tracking. If participants paid attention to bizarre color objects, it would provide strong support for a color bizarreness effect. The results supported the existence of this effect. Our results strengthen research findings on bizarreness effects in pictorial materials in a different aspect. Not only an object's shape, but also its color can produce the bizarreness effect. Furthermore, we clearly demonstrated that bizarre colors attract attention and enhance object memory. This could be applied to making memorable advertisements and creating learning materials.