Men in Red Fire Up Women’s Libidos

We’ve all heard that red is the colour of love, but a series of studies by researchers at the University of Rochester has determined that a man wearing red, or even bordered by the scarlet colour, makes him seem more attractive and sexually desirable to women. 

Traditionally, red has been the colour of the rich and powerful. This is true around the world and cross-culturally.  Ancient Rome’s most powerful people were known as “the ones who wear red,” and we roll out the red carpet for today’s most high-profile events.

Along with this learned association between status and the colour red, researchers also look to the biological origins of human behaviour.  In non-human primates like mandrills and gelada baboons, red is a marker of male dominance and is expressed most strongly in alpha males.  Females of these species mate most often with these alpha males. 

“We say in our culture that men act like animals in the sexual realm.  It looks like women may be acting like animals in the same sort of way,” says the study’s lead author, Andrew Elliot.

To test this, Professor Elliot had 288 female and 25 male undergraduates look at photos of men in several different situations: in some, the male’s shirt was digitally coloured either red or another colour; in others, the photo’s frame was digitally altered to red or a different colour.  Compared to women who were shown other colours, women who saw either the red shirt or red frame said that the man appeared more powerful, attractive, and sexually desirable. However, it’s interesting to note that it did not make him seem more likeable, kind, or sociable. 

Participants of the study showed no awareness that Elliot’s research focused on the influence of colour.  These findings indicate that colour not only has aesthetic value but that it can affect our perception and behaviour in significant ways. 

Further Reading: 

University of Rochester (2010, August 3). Women attracted to men in red, research shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 18, 2010