An Article Review Essay Research Paper Introduction

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An Article Review Essay, Research Paper Introduction In chapter four of Nonverbal Communication: The Unspoken Dialogue deals with some specific channels of communication, namely: Environment, artifacts, and chronemics. In regards to the assignment, the objective of this paper is to find a journal article dealing with research that is complimentary to the information provided in the book. Although all of the channels of nonverbal communication discussed in chapter four were equally fascinating, the focus for the review of a research article is on color in an environment and the effects that it has on the behavior of individuals. The focus of this paper will be on an article that was published in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills, volume 76, 1993, pages 235-241, titled

Effects of Three Colors in an Office Interior on Mood and Performance (see attached copy) by Rebecca A. Ainsworth, LoErna Simpson, and David Cassell. The research focus was to determine the effects of three different hues on test subjects in regards to their performance and mood in an office environment. A single office was used for the experiment where the interior was painted three different times using the colors red (signifying the mood: warm), blue-green (signifying the mood: cool), and white (signifying the mood: neutral).The Hypothesis: The hypothesis of the researchers for the article was as follows, We hypothesized that the red office interior would contribute to higher performance and higher scores on arousal and anxiety than would the white/neutral office interior or

the blue-green office interior (Jacobs & Suess, 1975; Walters, et al., 1982), while the white/neutral interior would contribute to higher work performance and higher arousal and anxiety scores but lower depression scores than would the blue-green office. The research for the article was done for several reasons. First, they stated that much research had been done on the effects of color and how it may influence certain behaviors in individuals. The previous research also suggested that color could enhance an individual s mood and productivity. The authors felt that there as been limited research on the effects color may have on an individual in a particular work environment. They further stated that they feel more research should be conducted to support the claims of how

color effects the behaviors of individuals in a work environment. Secondly, the authors felt that the research and the general public s belief that the color red influences an individuals activity, aggression, and performance level is scattered and varied and doesn t seem to be supported well. Third, they are basing their research on studies that were conducted by Jacobs and Suess (1975), a research project that found evidence that a red or yellow environment created higher anxiety scores than a blue or green environment; a study by Kwallek, Lewis, and Robins which found that test subject s moods didn t change when they were in a blue or green working environment. The authors felt that none of the previous mentioned studies took into consideration the use of a neutral colored

work environment, further supporting the reason for their research project. In addition, they further stated that most work environments are neutral in color and thus felt that the project was important and worthy to explore. The research project involved the following: the subjects, the environment, and the procedure.Subjects: Total of 45 individuals All female college students All having mixed socio-economical backgrounds All having basic office skills i.e. typing, filing, and phone use The subjects were broken up into groups of 15Environment: A single office space used by each subject individually An office with the dimensions 15 ft. by 10.5 ft. with an 11 ft. ceiling The office was painted a different color for each group of subjects First, red