A multifaceted approach into the effect of coloured environment on impulsivity using personality, behavioural and neurological methods.

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Summary

This study found that blue light—contrary to its reputation as calming—increased risk-taking behavior and frontal beta-wave brain activity associated with impulsivity, while red light made participants feel more impulsive via self-report. These results suggest lighting designers and healthcare facilities should exercise caution when deploying colored lighting interventions (e.g., blue light to deter crime or suicide), as current evidence is mixed and the behavioral effects of short-wavelength light may be more arousing than assumed.

Key Findings

Participants reported feeling more impulsive under red light based on self-report personality measures.
Blue light produced increased risk-taking in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) and elevated frontal beta-wave activity (F3, FZ, F4 positions), both indicative of heightened impulsivity.
Faster reaction times were observed under blue light in a Go/No-Go task, potentially reflecting impaired behavioral inhibition rather than improved performance.
Findings align with intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell (ipRGC) activation by blue light, suggesting melanopsin-driven arousal may underlie the increased impulsivity observed.