1차색의 추상적 상징에 대한 색채연상 특성연구

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) The symbolism of color is divided into concrete and abstract aspects. Concrete symbolism can be associated with colors easily because it is based on visual experience, whereas abstract symbolism is difficult to associate with colors, as it does not entail specific visual experience nor is it a concept derived from concrete symbolism. However, people tend to associate colors with abstract symbolism. This study aimed to shed light on the characteristics of colors that are associated with abstract symbolism and do not have a specific object. (Method) We extracted the abstract symbolism of primary colors through advanced research review and two rounds of survey. We asked the participants to evaluate the level of association for the abstract symbols of items in primary colors extracted from the KS Korean standard color digital palette; this part of the study was completed through Google online survey. We extracted 10 abstract symbols for each of the primary colors and then used them as evaluation items. We collected a total of 140 survey responses, all of which were valid samples. To analyze the evaluation result, we used SPSS/PC+ 12 to validate reliability and used technical statistics and independent T-validation to verify the hypothesis. (Results) We derived the characteristics of color association regarding the abstract symbolism of primary colors through the association level of abstract symbols for independent color samples, association relationship with specific visual experience colors, and relationship between association of abstract symbols and memorial color. The color association of the abstract symbolism for yellow and blue could be attributed to the experience of specific symbols; this finding was not applicable to the color red. The color association of abstract symbolism for the colors red and blue had characteristics similar to that of a memorial color, but not in the case of the color red. Overall, the color yellow had a low level of association. Meanwhile, we noted a meaningful difference in color association depending on sex, with females tending to associate colors at a higher skill level. (Conclusions) Humans’ color association occur when remembering a color from seeing a specific image or associating symbols from seeing an independent color sample. When this phenomenon happens, one recalls a prototype based on a visual experience stored in one’s long-term memory. Similar characteristics have been observed in the association of language and colors. In conclusion, a concept that has been shared in a certain cultural area for a long time can be reflected in the area’s color symbolism. The low level of association for the color yellow and the difference between sexes, in particular, are observed in every cultural area.