Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Neuroscene - Are Male and Female Color Preferences Hard Wired?

This episode from Neuroscene was originally posted in October 2007 - but the information is still relevant and interesting.

Are Male and Female Color Preferences Hard Wired?

When two neuroscientists at Newcastle University in Great Britain published the results of their study in the August 21, 2007 edition of the journal Current Biology, they were quite surprised at the strong reaction and scrutiny from the media and the general public. And what exactly was it that courted such controversy? Specifically, Dr. Anya Hurlbert and Dr. Yazhu Ling reported research findings that seemed to indicate that there might be consistent and predictable differences in color preferences between men and women. However, what really “fanned the flames” was the speculation that these sex differences might be evolutionary and based upon sex-specific behaviors likely practiced by our ancestors.

In this podcast, we go beyond the superficial controversy and instead delve into the fascinating details of how humans process and perceive color – and how we might indeed be hardwired to perceive it in different ways. Join us for a fascinating and dynamic discussion with Dr. Ling where we explore the real story at a much deeper and more scientific level. (Originally broadcast 31-October-2007)


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