International study on colour perception at the FHD

Black, red and gold are the official colours of the German flag – they are precisely defined in terms of colourimetry. But how exactly do people perceive these colours? Do our inner perceptions actually correspond to the officially defined shades?

Research initiative at the University of Granada

This question was the subject of an experiment at Dresden University of Applied Sciences, which is part of an international research initiative led by Prof. Dr. Manuel Melgosa from the University of Granada (Spain). Prof. Dr. Manuel Melgosa is a renowned expert in colour science who collaborates with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in the USA, among others.

At the time of the experiment, Prof. Melgosa was on a research trip through Central Europe lasting several weeks. He was first a guest at the Technical University of Liberec (Czechia). From there, he travelled to the FHD for the days of the experiment. Immediately afterwards, he conducted the identical experiment at the University of Wroclaw (Poland). The aim is to collate and compare the data from Germany, Poland and Spain: Are there cultural or regional differences in the perception of national flags? Can characteristic patterns be identified?

Experiment in the photo studio with participants from the FHD

For the experiment, the test subjects sat in front of a calibrated monitor in a darkened photo studio. Using a simple interface, they were able to adjust the colour values of the three flag bars until the colour tone was perfect for them. Each person completed two sessions to ensure the reliability of the results.

A total of around 20 test subjects from among the students and staff of the FHD took part. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to everyone who participated.

According to initial assessments by the project management in Granada, the Dresden data represent an important component of the international comparative study . Once the analysis is complete, the results will be published in a scientific journal.

Background and organisation

The Dresden University of Applied Sciences not only hosted this project, but also coordinated the data collection in Germany. The collaboration was initiated and planned through Prof. Dr. Antonio Roldán-Ponce's existing contact with the University of Granada. Prof. Roldán-Ponce is currently working on various projects in the field of neuromarketing with colleagues in Spain, among other things. The Faculty of Design, headed by Prof. Martina Jess, was also involved in the project from the outset. Prof. Unger-Büttner contributed her expertise in the field of colour perception.

The study is a good example of European research cooperation in action. It shows how universities in different countries can work together on a research question and generate comparable data. The fact that the FHD was able to participate as a German partner underlines the importance of international networks and our role as an active part of the European research landscape.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Prof. Melgosa and the University of Granada for allowing us to be part of the research project.

Research at the FHD