Predicting Context-dependent Cross-modal Associations with Dimension-specific Polarity Attributions. Part 2: Red and Valence

Abstract

Although context effects have repeatedly been demonstrated, it remains difficult to predict how context features influence the associative meaning of concepts. In a recent series of Experiments (see Part 1, Schietecat, Lakens, IJsselsteijn, & de Kort, 2018), we proposed and tested the dimension-specificity hypothesis for understanding and predicting context-dependent cross-modal associations between saturation, brightness, and aggression. In the current manuscript, Part 2, we aim to further test the dimension-specificity hypothesis by predicting the context-dependency of the meaning of the color red observed in the literature. The results of a series of five experiments revealed that the associations between red and valence could be predicted based on the activated dimensions of meaning (i.e., the evaluation or activity dimension) through the opposing concepts in the task. In the context of green, red was associated with negativity, whereas in context of blue, red was mostly associated with activity. Therefore, red was related to both aggression (a negative concept) and enthusiasm (a positive concept), depending on the context.