Implicit representations of red color in Chinese culture

Red color is viewed as an important symbol of Chinese culture and used as a convenient tool to represent multiple concepts (i.e., happiness, wedding, and the modern Chinese polity) in Chinese daily life. However, whether the practical linkages of red color to these concepts involve profound psychological implication has not yet been fully investigated. Based on the Stroop paradigm, the present study systematically examined the implicit association strength between red color and its Chinese culture-endowed conceptual associates (i.e., happiness, wedding, and the modern Chinese polity) in Chinese college students (N = 107). Specifically, the implicit association strength between red (vs. black) and the concept of happiness (vs. sadness) was explored in Experiment 1 (n = 33). The implicit association between red (vs. white) and the concept of wedding (vs. funeral) was explored in Experiment 2 (n = 40). Finally, the implicit association between red (vs. yellow) and the concept of modern (vs. ancient) polity of China was explored in Experiment 3 (n = 34). Overall, our results revealed significant implicit associations between red color and the concepts of happiness and wedding, but not with the concept of modern Chinese polity. Our findings support the shaping force of culture on the implication of colors (especially the color of red) in human mind.