How Does Uniform Color Affect the Performance?

In recent years, groundbreaking research relating to uniform colors and athletic performance has gained traction. And different questions were raised in the mind of researchers about color psychology due to these studies, like,

●     How does the red color stimulate aggression?

●     Do people who wear blue subdued?

●     Does the green color make human beings calm and polite?

According to the study conducted by Hill and Barton in 2005, Colors have always been regarded as the influencer on human mood, feelings, emotions, and belligerence. They have been discovered to contain distinct psychological qualities which can have a strong influence on the emotional feelings of human beings. Although the responses towards colors are highly dependent upon the cultural associations, therefore, they leave an impact on our physical and psychological health.

Impact of colors

When it comes to performance, apparel can be a major concern for everyone from the average gym rat to professional athletes and even Olympic hopefuls. Whether it's high-tech equipment that monitors important metrics or clothing that is designed to reduce friction and enhance easy movement, your outfit can influence how well you perform. Aside from the numerous developments in sportswear, we should also examine the impact of color on the playing field. Could the color of an Olympic jersey determine whether a team wins gold, silver, or bronze?

Several studies over the years have found that color can make a difference. Therefore, it is important to consider numerous factors when selecting uniforms for athletes. Various aspects go into producing the best final results for the athletes, from fit to design.

The physical impact of the color of uniform can be inaccurate or ignored but the psychological influence cannot be denied. Color, like music, can improve or change feelings or mood, which can influence the conduct of the wearer as well as the opponent. Color can influence the performance of an athlete through psychological associations formed between the athlete and the mood associated with a given color. As a result of the psychological connections, the athlete may unintentionally display and reflect the conduct dictated by what they perceive visually. Regardless of how minor these unintentional correlations are, athletes and teams all across the world have used this strategy to improve their odds of winning. Therefore, the color strategy is almost used in all games such as football, basketball, cricket, and hockey to name a few. Hence, custom football uniforms, custom football jerseys, Olympic uniforms are all manufactured upon the color perception

Red color

The color red has been employed by sports teams and sportsmen to instinctively increase their performance in a more aggressive manner and secure victory. Numerous studies have indicated that the color red, with its dominant element, has enhanced performance. The red color provides individuals greater physical energy, desire, testosterone, and stamina, which proves an advantage in events for those who wear it. During the 2004 Olympics in Athens, studies on the disciplines of boxing, wrestling, and taekwondo revealed that athletes wearing red clothes outperformed their counterparts wearing blue clothes. Despite the potential benefits of red, there are also unfavorable associations with it. It also signifies danger, which can cause fear and distraction for the opponent.

Blue Color

Blue color has also grown in popularity among athletes. They have drawn their attention towards wearing blue as one of the most frequent hues in sportswear to enhance strategic planning, cognitive ability, creative thought, teamwork, tranquility, and stability. Speed-skating athletes in 2017 changed from the traditional color of their country to blue in the first World Cup event because they think that the blue color will help them to get the victory as it is the fastest color. According to Renzo Shamey, a professor of color science and technology, the same color is sometimes related to grief sadness and paucity of motivation therefore, it is comparatively weak in competitions than the red color.

Mellow Yellow

Yellow color is mostly associated with positive connotations such as happiness, warmth, and sunshine which can uplift the mood of the performer. The Los Angeles Rams changed the color of their uniform in the important event of Super Bowl LIII in the hope of an optimistic future.

It brings the positive state of mind that is necessary for the performance of an athlete. Contrary to the yellow color, dull yellow can instill subconscious sentiments of caution, disease, and decay, which are not conducive for a winning mindset.

Black Color

The black color may evoke feelings of strength and sophistication while also conveying a sense of mystery and the unknown. The association of black color can also be traced back to the old age when black signified the bad people whereas, white was associated with the hero. Many researchers have studied the impact of the black color of uniform on the performance of the player in comparison to other colors in between 1998 to 2012 and the data revealed from these studies proved that teams wearing black seems to be more violent and aggressive and therefore, faced more penalties than the opponent teams. Even though the color has a sophisticated and gleaming appearance, the environment in which it is employed is critical that how it is viewed, not only by athletes but also by officials.

Conclusion

To summarize it can be said that the list of sentimental and behavioral effects that color has on performance is complicated, it depends upon the context of the performer and is equally critical. The whole point of color psychology is to figure out what subconscious associations are being formed by visual imagery. The performative effect, in addition to aesthetic impact, is also dependent on the individual’s reflections and experiences of the past. When assessing the psychological effects of colors, cultural context must be taken into account. Hence, it is unquestionable that the colors of uniform affect the performance of the athlete.

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