Colour, Culture and Cognition: Rethinking the Role of Physical Environments in Child Development
Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: Classroom colour schemes play a subtle but important role in shaping students' cognitive, emotional, and social functioning. While often overlooked in educational design, colour influences attention, mood regulation, environmental perception, and interpersonal communication. Drawing on organisational culture theory, I examine how classroom aesthetics---particularly colour---can serve as a tool for supporting students' mental well-being, and learning outcomes. I review experimental studies linking specific colour schemes to changes in children's emotional responses, cognitive performance, and classroom behaviour. I also highlight cross-cultural gaps in the existing research and propose future directions for theory and school design practices.
Author: Mariola Kinal
Institution: University of Rzeszów
Language: English
Topic: Color perception and design
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4414007303