(wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.757 Fast track report Red and romantic behavior in men viewing women

Abstract

In many non-human primate species, a display of red by a female increases attraction behavior in male conspecifics. In two experiments, we investigate an analogous effect in humans, specifically, whether red on a woman’s shirt increases attraction behavior in men. In Experiment 1, men who viewed an ostensible conversation partner in a red versus a green shirt chose to ask her more intimate questions. In Experiment 2, men who viewed an ostensible interaction partner in a red versus a blue shirt chose to sit closer to her. These effects were observed across participants ’ perceptions of their own attractiveness (Experiment 1) and general activation and mood (Experiment 2). Our findings suggest that red acts as a basic, non-lexical prime, influencing reproduction-relevant behavior in like manner across species. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. In many non-human primate species, including baboons and chimpanzees, females display red on their body (e.g., chest, genitalia) when nearing ovulation (Dixson, 1983; Gerald, 2003; Setchell & Wickings, 2004). Research has shown that these red displays increase attraction behavior in male conspecifics, as indicated by increased masturbation and mounting attempts (Bielert, Girolami, & Jowell, 1989; Waitt, Gerald, Little, & Krasielburd, 2006). Here we examine whether a display of red by a human female increases attraction behavior in male conspecifics in analogous fashion, substituting red clothing for red chests and genitalia, and question intimacy and physical distance for masturbation and mounting attempts