Blue–seven phenomenon

The blue–seven phenomenon is a social phenomenon in which a purported statistical majority of people in the US choose the color blue and number seven when asked to randomly select a color and a single digit number. The cause of the cognitive bias is not understood,^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] though it has been posited that both colors and numbers are imbued with layers of significance.^[5]

The existence of the phenomenon has been disputed.^[6]^[7] Outside of the US these preferences may not hold.^[8]^[9] In other countries, differences occur, particularly in Northern Ireland where a noted bias of green and eight results in a green–eight phenomenon.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ Benel, Russell A. (January 1976). "The "Blue–Seven Phenomenon" or the "Blue, Seven, … Phenomena"?". The Journal of General Psychology. 94 (1): 145–146. doi:10.1080/00221309.1976.9711600.
^ Saito, Miho (October 1999). ""Blue and Seven Phenomena" among Japanese Students". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 89 (2): 532–536. doi:10.2466/pms.1999.89.2.532.
^ Richard C Boutwell; Patrice Fennell (Oct 1, 1974). "Investigation and theoretical consideration of the "blue–seven" phenomenon". The Journal of General Psychology. 91: 301–302.
^ Simon, William E. (October 1971). "Number and Color Responses of Some College Students: Preliminary Evidence for a "Blue Seven Phenomenon"". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 33 (2): 373–374. doi:10.2466/pms.1971.33.2.373.
^ Christenfeld, Nicholas (Jan 1995). "Choices from Identical Options". Psychological Science. 6 (1): 50–55. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.1995.tb00304.x. JSTOR 40062876.
^ Trueman, John (July 1979). "Existence and Robustness of the Blue and Seven Phenomena". The Journal of General Psychology. 101 (1): 23–26. doi:10.1080/00221309.1979.9920057.
^ Knowles, Philip L. (October 1977). "The "Blue Seven" is Not a Phenomenon". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 45 (2): 648–650. doi:10.2466/pms.1977.45.2.648.
^ Wiegersma, Sjoerd; Van Der Elst, Gerard (February 1988). ""Blue Phenomenon": Spontaneity or Preference?". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 66 (1): 308–310. doi:10.2466/pms.1988.66.1.308.
^ Letzter, Rafi (Aug 12, 2016). "Billions of people have the same favorite color and number, and scientists don't know why". Business Insider.

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[1] Benel, Russell A. (January 1976). "The "Blue–Seven Phenomenon" or the "Blue, Seven, … Phenomena"?". The Journal of General Psychology. 94 (1): 145–146. doi:10.1080/00221309.1976.9711600.

[2] Saito, Miho (October 1999). ""Blue and Seven Phenomena" among Japanese Students". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 89 (2): 532–536. doi:10.2466/pms.1999.89.2.532.

[3] Richard C Boutwell; Patrice Fennell (Oct 1, 1974). "Investigation and theoretical consideration of the "blue–seven" phenomenon". The Journal of General Psychology. 91: 301–302.

[4] Simon, William E. (October 1971). "Number and Color Responses of Some College Students: Preliminary Evidence for a "Blue Seven Phenomenon"". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 33 (2): 373–374. doi:10.2466/pms.1971.33.2.373.

[Christenfeld1995-5] Christenfeld, Nicholas (Jan 1995). "Choices from Identical Options". Psychological Science. 6 (1): 50–55. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.1995.tb00304.x. JSTOR 40062876.

[6] Trueman, John (July 1979). "Existence and Robustness of the Blue and Seven Phenomena". The Journal of General Psychology. 101 (1): 23–26. doi:10.1080/00221309.1979.9920057.

[7] Knowles, Philip L. (October 1977). "The "Blue Seven" is Not a Phenomenon". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 45 (2): 648–650. doi:10.2466/pms.1977.45.2.648.

[8] Wiegersma, Sjoerd; Van Der Elst, Gerard (February 1988). ""Blue Phenomenon": Spontaneity or Preference?". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 66 (1): 308–310. doi:10.2466/pms.1988.66.1.308.

[9] Letzter, Rafi (Aug 12, 2016). "Billions of people have the same favorite color and number, and scientists don't know why". Business Insider.

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v t e Biases
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