The evaluation of architectural interior colour as a function of style of furnishings: Categorization effects

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate whether evaluative responses to a single attribute, colour, reflected categorization and prototypicality as did responses in a furniture selection study (Whitfield & Slatter, 1978). Subjects ranked colours in order of appropriateness for the walls of a simulated domestic interior furnished in one of three styles: Modern, Georgian or Art Nouveau. Style was designated by simulated items of furniture. The hypothesis that judged appropriateness would vary as a function of style was borne out by the results. Support was also provided for the prediction that two rather than three categories would be refernced by subjects–Georgian and Art Nouveau comparising a unitary category. Finally, evidence of effects due to prototypicality was descernible from inspection of the date.