Men Wearing Red Signal Anger, Aggression: Study

This might be important news for men who love to wear red: According to a study, men who wear red send signals of anger and aggression, rather than conveying a “strong image.” In addition, the research says that red clothing makes men look more prone to dominant behavior.

The researchers at Britain's Durham University conducted the study on a group of 50 male and 50 female subjects. All the subjects were shown photos of men wearing different-colored clothing. The group was then asked to describe the personality of those shown in the images.

Both males and females associated those wearing red T-shirts with aggression, as compared to those who wore other colors such as gray or blue. However, only the male volunteers associated the men wearing red with dominance, while the females did not believe so.

Rob Barton, the lead researcher, believes that the study results could provide clues as to whether it is advisable to wear red clothing during social or other important interactions. According to Barton, red is often considered a sign of aggression in animals and a red-faced man is generally considered angry, a warning sign inherited from the human predecessors. In addition, in some animal species, red is a sign of males competing with their counterparts to mate the selected female.

"Being perceived as aggressive or dominant may be an advantage in some circumstances, but a disadvantage in others, for example where teamwork or trustworthiness is important. We know that the color red has an effect on the human brain. This is embedded in our culture, for example the idea of wearing a red tie -- known as a 'power tie' -- for business, or issuing a red alert," researcher Diana Wiedemann, a Ph.D. student, said.

The study has been published in the Royal Society journal, Biology Letters.

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