From the mood-boosting effects of warmer tones to rage-inducing red, scientists have found that colour can have a big effect on our emotions.
But there is one colour that has been found to be the most calming of all.
In a video posted on TikTok, Dr Dean Jackson, a biologist and BBC presenter, has shared the surprising effects of one bright shade of pink.
Baker Miller Pink, technically known as P-618, has been scientifically shown to reduce levels of aggression and promote calm.
The effects of Baker Miller Pink were first discovered in 1979 by the psychologist Dr Alexander Schauss.
Dr Schauss claimed that the colour, produced by mixing semi-gloss red trim paint and pure white indoor latex paint, acted as a ‘non-drug anaesthetic’.
These remarkable effects have led to the colour being used everywhere from hospital waiting rooms to prison cells – hence the nickname ‘Drunk-Tank Pink’.
Dr Jackson says: ‘It’s highly relaxing. It lowers heart rate, it calms breathing, and it even reduces appetite in some people.’
In a video posted on TikTok, Dr Dean Jackson, a biologist and BBC presenter, has shared the surprising effects of one bright shade of pink
In the late 1970s, a psychologist named Dr Alexander Schauss claimed that a particular shade of bright pink could reduce incidents of violence in prisons by producing a ‘non-drug anaesthetic’ effect
Starting in the late 1960s, Dr Schauss began experimenting with how colour perception could affect human biology.
Dr Schauss believed that looking at certain shades would not only affect our psychology, but also alter the body’s physiological states.
To prove this, Dr Schauss recruited 153 men and had them look at different coloured sheets of cardboard and raise their arms while researchers restrained them.
Then, Dr Schauss and his colleagues measured the grip strength of a smaller group of men while they looked at different colours.
These studies suggested that looking at the colour Baker Miller Pink significantly reduced men’s strength.
Two directors of a Naval correctional institute in Seattle, Washington – Gene Baker and Ron Miller, after whom the colour is named – were so impressed by these results that they agreed to paint parts of their prison pink.
Dr Schauss claimed that after 223 days of continuous use, there were no incidents of ‘erratic or hostile behavior’ in the pink holding cells.
Dr Jackson says: ‘In the late 1970s, Alexander Schauss discovered that it had a profound calming effect.
As Dr Jackson explains, the colour was found to reduce the violent tendencies of prison inmates. Its use in prisons has earned it the nickname ‘drunk-tank pink’
The colour, known as Baker Miller Pink, has been used to decorate a number of prison cells in the hopes of reducing violence or to humiliate prisoners. Pictured: Pink cells with stencils of teddy bears at Dallas County Jail
‘He showed that painting prison cells Baker Miller Pink significantly reduced aggression in the inmates in those prisons.’
Inspired by these findings, a number of other institutions have attempted to make use of Baker Miller Pink’s supposed calming effects.
The colour is still used in prisons, especially in Switzerland, where one in five prisons and police stations has a cell painted Baker Miller Pink.
In the US, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio had inmates at his self-described ‘concentration camp’ jail wear pink socks and underwear.
Dr Jackson says: ‘Some professional football clubs have even painted the away team’s locker room Baker Miller Pink to pacify their opponents’ hunger for a win, giving a very cheeky home team advantage.’
For example, Norwich City painted the away dressing room at Carrow Road a colour called ‘deep pink’ in the belief that it would lower the opponents’ testosterone levels.
This followed the use of pink by Iowa State University, where the head coach had the visiting team’s locker room entirely painted pink – down to the urinals and sinks.
This led to the rather unusual ruling by the Western Athletic Conference in 1990 that home and away locker rooms must be painted the same colour.
Norwich City painted their away team dressing room pink in the hope that it would reduce their opponents’ aggression
Subsequent research has shown that painting prison cells pink has no effect on prisoner violence and can even lead to an increase in violent behaviour in some cases. Pictured: A pink handcuff at Dallas County Jail
However, as early as 1988, researchers were unable to replicate Dr Schauss’s results in identical experimental conditions – suggesting there was no real connection between pink and behaviour.
Subsequent research found that exposure to pink has no physiological effects on blood pressure or hormone levels, as Dr Schauss had claimed.
Likewise, a study conducted by Dr Oliver Genschow in 2014 using modern experimental standards attempted to recreate Dr Schauss’ findings.
Dr Genschow selected 59 inmates in a prison in Switzerland, half of whom were assigned to pink cells and half to grey or white cells.
After three days of confinement, the researchers found ‘no support for the effectiveness of Baker-Miller pink on inmates’ aggression reduction’.
The researchers added that the only psychological effects Baker Miller Pink was likely to produce were negative ones.
In their paper, published in the journal Psychology, Crime & Law, they said: ‘Past research has indicated that the colour pink is mainly associated with girls and women and more preferred by girls and women than by men.
‘Being placed in a pink detention cell may thus attack inmates’ perceived manhood and/or cause feelings of humiliation.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .