Memory is the cornerstone of human cognition that enables all of its profound mechanisms, and the instrument of knowledge acquisition and exchange. However, it remains a mechanism of unparalleled complexity because of the diversity of its functions and purposes. Prior research has mostly focused on the biological mechanisms behind the perception of color. However, its role in memory performance requires further examination. The present study aims to investigate whether a correlation exists between the presence of color in an image and an individual’s ability to remember it. In fact, the dependence of the memory abilities on various independent variables is a subject of active research. In the case of color, the opposition is observed between monochromous and colored images. It is theorized that the second type of images engages the memory mechanism on a more profound level through the extensive use of visual receptors. This way, colored pictures lead to a better ability to memorize and retain them in mind. However, the contemporary body of knowledge does not provide a definitive answer, and the necessity of further research arises.
Today, experts and researchers seek to acquire a better understanding of the relation between colors and memory. According to Dzulkifli and Mustafar (2013), the complexity of human cognition, namely the memory mechanisms, impedes the formation of concrete answers and evidence-based theories. Their research revolves around the role of color in improving an individual’s memorizing abilities. In this regard, an emphasis in placed on the concept of attentiveness of the subject. As per the contemporary research synthesis provided by Dzulkifli and Mustafar (2013), the combination of attention and emotional arousal has a direct positive impact on the memory performance of an individual. In turn, these factors are more actively engaged when the presented images are colored. This way, colors have an effect, although indirect, on the memory improvement mediated by the increased attention.
Researchers equally attempt to formulate a list of relevant independent variables that contribute to or impede the improvement of object memory. Similar ideas are discussed by Reppa et al. (2020) who examine color in combination with shape and in relation to the memorizing ability of an individual. Their research follows an experimental design, probing the participants’ episodic memory. The purpose of the study is to identify possible correlations between the objects’ shape and color and their ability to be memorized more easily. As revealed by Reppa et al. (2020), their findings suggest that “colour is an automatically encoded object property” (p. 1504). However, color demonstrates its effectiveness primarily in combination with shape. This information suggests that it is, indeed, an active independent variable within the discussed context but not the only one at play.
Thomas Young and Hermann Von Helmholtz established the Trichromatic theory of human vision. According to it, the human retina contains three types of color receptors, and each is responsible for a specific color, namely red, green, and blue. This theory is based on the fact that all shades that can be perceived by the eye are created through a combination of these three colors. Ewald Hering’s theory of the Opponent Process adds that color is coded in opponent pairs: black-white, yellow-blue, and green-red. The basic idea is that some cells of the visual system are excited by one of the opponent colors and inhibited by the other. However, these theories rely on the biophysical properties of the eye, implying little or no coverage of the cognitive effect. Thus, the current body of knowledge requires further elaborations on the association between the presence of color and the memory performance.
References
Dzulkifli, M. A., & Mustafar, M. F. (2013). The influence of colour on memory performance: A review. Malaysian Journal of Medical Science, 20(2), 3–9.
Reppa, I., Williams, K. E., Greville, W. J., & Saunders, J. (2020). The relative contribution of shape and colour to object memory. Memory & Cognition, 48, 1504–1521.