The impact of coloured lighting on Pleasure–Activation and Negative–Positive affective dimensions

Abstract

Studies investigating the effects of coloured lighting on specific affective dimensions remain limited. Based on Russell’s circumplex model and Cacioppo’s evaluative space model, this empirical study investigates the psychological effects of six coloured lighting conditions – red, green, blue, yellow, cyan and magenta on affective dimensions of Pleasure, Activation, Negative affect and Positive affect. We analysed whether different coloured lighting leads to significant differences in affective outcomes, and whether Positive affect and Negative affect are independently, mutually or inversely elicited under coloured lighting exposure. A total of 351 valid responses were collected. Results indicated that under the six coloured lighting conditions, all four affective dimensions differed significantly, and Negative affect and Positive affect were independently elicited by coloured lighting. The findings suggest that the distribution captured by the Pleasure–Activation affective model directly reflects the overall effect of coloured lighting on individuals’ levels of pleasure or activation, whereas the Negative–Positive affective model may indicate the capacity of different coloured lighting to elicit positive or negative affective response. For instance, among the six lighting conditions, red lighting showed the highest activation level and the lowest pleasure level. Within the Negative–Positive affective model, red lighting also exhibited the highest level of Negative affect and the second-highest level of Positive affect.