A Study on the Implicit Associations Between Regulatory Focus and Color - Evidence From a Red-Blue Implicit Association Test

Purpose: This study examined whether red and blue are differentially associated with prevention- and promotion-related meanings at an implicit level. Rather than assuming that either color has a fixed and universal regulatory meaning, the study focused on the relative associative structure within a red-blue comparison. Methods: An Implicit Association Test (IAT) was administered to 500 participants using red and blue as target categories and promotion- and prevention-related words as attribute categories. IAT effects were computed using the D-score algorithm. Chronic promotion and prevention focus were also assessed with the Regulatory Focus Questionnaire. Results: Participants responded faster and more accurately in the red + prevention / blue + promotion condition than in the red + promotion / blue + prevention condition. The mean D-score was significantly greater than zero, indicating a relative tendency to associate red with prevention-related meanings and blue with promotion-related meanings. Prevention focus was positively associated with the D-score, whereas promotion focus showed a small negative association. Conclusion & Implications: The findings suggest that color may function as an implicit cue linked to self-regulatory meaning. At the same time, because the IAT indexes relative associative strength, the present results should be interpreted as evidence for a relative red-blue association pattern rather than as proof that red or blue carries an absolute regulatory meaning.