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Tommy San Jose

English 112 Section 79
Ms. Connie Douglas
10/18/2014

Annotated Bibliography

Boykins, Maryia A. The Psychology of Color in Healthcare. Paralyzed Veterans of America, Web.
Maryia Boykins, a healthcare architect, explains how color can play an important role in healthcare
facilities. She explains how healthcare facilities could help their patients heal faster or enjoy their stay in
a hospital room by using color therapy also known as chromatherapy which is the concept of using
color as a means to help with the process of healing patients. When creating an environment that is
meant to heal patients a team of architects, interior designers, and healthcare administrators work
together to create a therapeutic atmosphere within the facility. Maryia Boykins says that when a color is
selected for a particular room that color is chosen depending on how long the patient will be residing in
it. Some pastel colors can be suited if the patients stay isnt more than a week but if the stay is longer
that color may become mundane causing a negative reaction. Patients, who reside in these facilities for
longer periods of time, such as a long- term care or elderly care facilities, should have their rooms
painted in colors that include a mixture of hues that counter one another. Boykins explains how color
therapy can help achieve the desired emotional effect from patients within these facilities but an
abundance of color can have a negative emotional effect. Color can exhibit beneficial healing properties
and can be extremely powerful especially when used in a healthcare environment.
The main argument of this article is to state that certain colors in a healthcare facility can invoke many
different feelings in individuals. The point of this article is to explain how certain colors can help heal
patients. The author lists several colors and what kind of feeling it evokes when patients are surrounded
by it. This article was an easy read, not too wordy and very useful. It lists the colors and their power over
the human mind when it comes to the healing process which is a source that will come in handy when
talking about mental health facilities and how a color of a room can affect the healing process.
Comparing it to my other sources it was very easy to follow, to the point and very interesting. The
information is reliable since the source is featured on an organizations website that helps paralyzed
veterans.

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The article will be very helpful to me when I write my paper and when I use this source in my paper I
will point out why certain colors are important in a healthcare facility since many people have long and
short term health care and color can help the patient heal faster. It will help shape my argument
because it will show how the simple color of a wall makes us feel better or worse. This article has not
changed how I think about the topic it only makes me think that color does indeed shape how we think,
feel and act.

Engelbrecht, Kathie. The Impact of Color on Learning. Perkins & Will, June 18 2003. Chicago, Web.
Kathy Engelbrecht, an educational planner from the Perkins and Wills design firm, wrote a research
paper to help answer a clients question regarding the significance of color in her learning facility. In her
research brief, Engelbrecht compiled the studies of experts in the field of color psychology, design and
medicine to help conclude that color does play an important role in the learning environment. She
explains that not only are desks and chairs an important factor in our learning facilities but the color that
surround its students are just as important if not more. When choosing a color she says that schools
should focus on the colors function rather than on its beauty. Experts have tested the theory that the
color of the walls in a learning environment can have a positive or negative affect on how the students
learn and behave; specific colors can help lessen eye strain and increase brain stimulation.
Engelbrecht also explains that not only are the colors on a wall important but the color of the furniture
as well. This can play a significant role in whether the students become more or less anxious during
lectures, fall asleep or are over stimulated in class and are able to concentrate clearly in school.
The main argument of the source is to argue that color plays an important role in the learning
environment and is just as significant as the comfortable desks and chairs. The point of the research
article is to show how Engelbrecht, a design expert, gathered information from reputable experts and
used that info to help corroborate her theory. Engelbrecht covers the topic of how colors can have in
impact on students behavior and their learning. This article is about how color should be used not only
for aesthetical purposes in a learning environment but for how it makes students function. Her article is
similar to the other articles I have used and is thorough and useful. The information in this article is not
biased and provides reliable information. The goal of this source is to show how color plays a very
important role in the learning environment and will help shape my argument that color can help
students with behavior problems or students who become anxious during class and test. Color can help
students who concentrate clearer and this can help raise their test scores.

This source was very helpful and made me realize more how color plays an important role in the
learning environment. It helps shape my argument because it shows how color can affect learning and
can make students concentrate more or less. I will use this source in my topic paper to help illustrate
how color can affect how students learn, how students concentrate and how they can become less
agitated during learning time. I learned that furniture color can also influence the way we behave which
is very interesting but it has not changed how I think about the topic.

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Flatow, Ira. Drunk Tank Pink' Finds Clues to Behavior. NPR, April 05, 2013.
Ira Flatow, an NPR host on Talk of the Nation, interviews Adam Alter on his new book Drunk Tank Pink.
Adam Alter an assistant of psychology and marketing for NYU discusses how the color within a room can
have an impact on a persons behavior and on their thinking process. Adam explains how the color
drunk tank pink is a bright, Pepto-Bismol, bubblegum shade of pink, and is being used by
psychologists to help calm aggressive individuals in prisons and in schools. He explains that when the
aggressive individual is surrounded by that shade of pink for about fifteen minutes they become less
aggressive. They used this study on aggressive naval prisoners and the results were successful.
This source is useful because it helps explain how the color pink can be used to calm down aggressive
individuals. It fits into my research because the color pink can be helpful in certain institutions where
aggression is a problem: such a learning institutions, healthcare and correctional facilities. The main
argument is how drunk tank pink can be used to help calm aggression. I prefer interview sources
because they can explain the theory a lot better. This source is reliable mainly because NPR is a wellknown reliable source and the author Adam Alter is a known psychologist. The source is non- biased
because the author admits that the study is fairly new and that it isnt 100 percent but the recorded
effects are something that should be furthered studied.
This source was helpful to me and will help shape my argument on how color can have an effect on the
human psyche is many ways. In my research paper I can use this source to show how the color drunk
tank pink should be used in facilities where individuals are more aggressive. It can help individuals in
mental care facilities, schools and prisons. I was surprised that such a simple color could make an
aggressive person calm in just fifteen minutes. My view on this topic has not changed I am now more
interested in color psychology.

Hamilton, John. Study: Seeing Red, Blue Affects Outcome Of Tasks. NPR, February 6, 2009. Web
podcast
John Hamilton reports on Ravi Mehtas research study on how red and blue can affect the outcome of
tasks performed, Markus Maier a scientist from the State University of New York and Nancy Stone a
professor at Missouri University of Science and Technologies. In John Hamiltons conversation with Ravi
Mehta, Mehta says that by seeing the color red people are more inclined to avoid mistakes and
danger making them detail driven. Blue alternately makes people calm and they will approach the task
in a creative manner. Mehta also says that in marketing, marketers have adopted this form of research
for advertising. Maier says that the color red can lower scores on an IQ test since IQ tests are designed
around creative thinking and not built around avoiding inaccuracies.
This source was great because it is a podcast and I was able to understand the scientific jargon a lot
easier than reading the research paper done by Mehta. The reporter John Hamilton summarized
Mehtas study which made it a lot easier to understand. The main argument and goal of this source is
that red can be used affectively when used as an attention to detail mechanism, whereas the color blue

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is useful when creativity and calmness is desired. The source is useful and it is objective stating that the
research involving the colors red and blue doesnt answer all questions regarded both colors effect on
human behavior. Stone says that although the research is impressive it could be hard for facilities to
apply the research to realworld decisions. Her statement makes me realize that although the
philosophy of color and its research can be beneficial to educational facilities, hospitals that deal with
mental health and correctional facilities, it can be a challenge to get the colors right.
This source was extremely helpful to me and will help shape my argument with information on how the
color red and blue are two important colors when used for detailed work or creative work. I will use this
source in my research project to explain why the color red or blue should be used to help students who
cannot focus on certain tasks and how blue can help stimulate the creative parts of the brain for
students who seem to be less creative or innovative. This source has not changed the way I think about
the topic it has only increased my curiosity on how colors work in our heads.

Mahnke, Frank and Mahnke, Rudolph H., Color and Light in the Man-Made Environment. Van
Nostrand Rienhold Company, May 3, 2000. New York, EBook
In their book, Color and Light in Man-Made Environments, color researchers Frank H. Maknke and
Rudolph H. Maknke state, color and light are major factors in the man-made environment; their impact
influences mans psychological reactions and physiological well-being. It is no longer valid to assume
that the only role of light and color is to provide adequate illumination and a pleasant visual
environment. In many research studies, color psychologists and medical professionals have concluded
that color can trigger an amazing response in our minds. When the light that carries color is received, it
produces a sort of energy, which can have a major effect on our emotions, affecting our entire nervous
system. Color, believe it or not, is a very powerful tool. The two authors also state that color not only
can influence our behaviors in a positive way but colors can affect us negatively as well.
The main argument of this article is to explain how the brain perceives color and that color can invoke
many different feelings in individuals. The point of this article is to explain how the brain reacts to the
colors it sees and how the brain reacts. The authors list several ways in which color can have an impact
on the mind and what kind of feeling it evokes when people are surrounded by it. This article was very
informative and very useful. It lists the process that our mind goes through as a color is introduced and
is a source that will come in handy when talking about the scientific way color works in our heads.
Comparing it to my other sources it was more detailed as well as very interesting. The information is a
reliable and the authors have used reputable sources for this research.
The article will be very helpful to me when I write my paper and when I use this source in my paper I will
point out why certain colors are important or beneficial. I will also use this source to point out how
some colors should not be used especially when it can affect the way we think and behave in a negative
way. It will help shape my argument because it will show how color can cause certain feelings, good or
bad and can have a dramatic effect on our mood. This article has not changed how I think about the
topic it only makes me think that color does indeed shape how we think, feel and act.

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Mehta, Ravi and Zhu, Rui. Blue or Red? Exploring the Effect of Color on Cognitive Task Performances.
ScienceMag.org, February 5, 2009. Web
In their research study Ravi Mehta and Rui Zhu work to prove that red can be more of an effective
performance enhancer than the color blue when dealing with tasks that entail detail-orientation. They
state that the color blue is best when used to promote creativity in the work place. They explain how
there are conflicting studies which claim the colors blue and green have a better impact on work
performance than red, but they argue against this notion. Mehta and Zhu explain how red and blue can
have different cognitive effect on humans depending on what type of mental tasks they are performing.
The color red triggers an Avoidance Motivation and the color blue triggers an Approach Motivation.
By focusing their research primarily on the colors blue and red, Ravi and Rui conducted six studies using
tasks within several realms that were related to being detailed-oriented and creative thinking. They
exhibited that the color red can be more effective in the work environment if that task requires
attention to detail and that the color blue can be inspirational during creative thinking.
This source is extremely useful although, scientifically rich and I was able to gather useful information
regarding the color red and blue when it comes to work productivity. Compared to my other sources this
article was a little hard to understand because of the advanced scientific language. The main arguments
in this source are that the colors red and blue can have alternate responses in the brain when it is
relative to work effectiveness. The source is objective since they did include past arguments that the
color blue and green have been theorized to be better generators of positive work performance. The
goal of my source is to prove that red can be extremely useful when the desired effect of the task is
critical thinking (detailed oriented) and that the color blue should be used when the desired effect
during work production is to be relaxed and to be more innovative.
This source was very helpful to me because it helped me understand how red and blue can affect the
way people work. It shapes my argument more and will give me the information I need to show how
certain colors can affect us while we work. I will also shape my argument by showing how certain colors
can make us more or less creative. I will use this source to show how certain colors should or shouldnt
be used in certain facilities. This source has not changed how I think about the topic.

Murphy, Conor. Color Psychology. Bellarmine Studios, May 10, 2012. YouTube Video
In this YouTube video the author explains how different colors and hues can have an effect on the way
we behave and feel. He explains how each color can have a different effect on the individual. The color
red can make some people think of love, fear or anger. The color green can help us to relax, lowering
our stress levels. He explains how the color blue promotes calmness and can even help lower our body
temperature. The author explains how the color yellow can be a cheery color but it can also make
individuals feel anxious and angry and that the color purple is a color that usually makes people think of

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royalty and riches. The color that invokes energy is the color orange which usually reminds people of the
warm sun and that can explain its association humans carry about the color.
The main argument of this video is to argue that certain colors can invoke many feelings in individuals.
The point of this video is to explain how each color works to induce a certain behavior or feeling. The
author lists several colors and what the impact it has on the human psyche. This video was fun to watch
but should have included more colors such as white and black and even grey since these are also
common colors. This source is very useful. It lists some colors and their power over the human mind
which is a source that will come in handy when listing colors and how they have an influence over us in
my research paper. Comparing it to my other sources it was very easy to follow, I didnt have to read
much and the pictures were nice to look at. I wish my other sources would have used pictures in their
articles as well.
The information is reliable since the source is produced by a college and it will be very helpful to me
when I write my paper. When I use this source in my paper I will point out a list of colors and how that
color can influence the way we behave and think. It will help shape my argument because it will have
the colors and their effects on the mind. The video has not changed how I think about the topic it only
makes me think that color does indeed shape how we think, feel and act.

Phys.org. How Does the Color of a Pill Affect its Efficacy. Inderscience Publishers, November 15 2010.
Web
In the article, How Does the Color of a Pill affect its efficacy the author explains that the color of a pill
can create feelings of whether or not a patient likes their medicine. In the article the author states that
red and pink tablets are the preferential colors when it comes to taking medications. They included a
survey of 600 people that showed a majority of them felt that the color and shape of their tablets act
as a memory tag for compliance. Curiously, the study found that fourteen percent of those surveyed
said the pink pills tasted sweeter than the red pills although the color of the tablet does not affect its
taste. Yellow pills were thought to have a salty flavor and eleven percent of the 600 people surveyed
thought that the white or blue pills had a bitter flavor. The pills that were perceived as sour tasting by
ten percent of the people surveyed were the orange pills.
The main argument of this article is to argue that certain pill colors can invoke many feelings in
individuals although the color of the pill does not affect the taste of the medication. The point of this
article is to explain how each color works to induce a certain feeling or taste. The author lists several pill
colors and what kind of feeling or taste the people surveyed encountered. This article was short and to
the point but should have included whether or not the color of a pill has an impact on the patients
willingness to finish the medication. This source is very useful. It lists the pill colors and their power over
the human mind when it comes to taste which is a source that will come in handy when talking about
healthcare facilities and how a color of a pill can affect the medications efficacy. Comparing it to my
other sources it was very easy to follow, to the point and very interesting.

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The information is reliable since the source is featured on a physics organizations website and it will be
very helpful to me when I write my paper. When I use this source in my paper I will point out why pill
color is very important in a healthcare facility or in general since many people take medications and how
that color can influence the way we behave and think about that pill. It will help shape my argument
because it I will show how the simple color of a pill can invoke tastes that are really just in our minds.
This article has not changed how I think about the topic it only makes me think that color does indeed
shape how we think, feel and act.