The blue–seven phenomenon is a social phenomenon in which a purported statistical majority of people in the US choose the color blue and number seven when asked to randomly select a color and a single digit number. The cause of the cognitive bias is not understood,[1][2][3][4] though it has been posited that both colors and numbers are imbued with layers of significance.[5]
The existence of the phenomenon has been disputed.[6][7] Outside of the US these preferences may not hold.[8][9] In other countries, differences occur, particularly in Northern Ireland where a noted bias of green and eight results in a green–eight phenomenon.[citation needed]
References
^Benel, Russell A. (January 1976). "The "Blue–Seven Phenomenon" or the "Blue, Seven, … Phenomena"?". The Journal of General Psychology. 94 (1): 145–146. doi:10.1080/00221309.1976.9711600.
^Saito, Miho (October 1999). ""Blue and Seven Phenomena" among Japanese Students". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 89 (2): 532–536. doi:10.2466/pms.1999.89.2.532.
^Richard C Boutwell; Patrice Fennell (Oct 1, 1974). "Investigation and theoretical consideration of the "blue–seven" phenomenon". The Journal of General Psychology. 91: 301–302.
^Simon, William E. (October 1971). "Number and Color Responses of Some College Students: Preliminary Evidence for a "Blue Seven Phenomenon"". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 33 (2): 373–374. doi:10.2466/pms.1971.33.2.373.
^Trueman, John (July 1979). "Existence and Robustness of the Blue and Seven Phenomena". The Journal of General Psychology. 101 (1): 23–26. doi:10.1080/00221309.1979.9920057.
^Knowles, Philip L. (October 1977). "The "Blue Seven" is Not a Phenomenon". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 45 (2): 648–650. doi:10.2466/pms.1977.45.2.648.
^Wiegersma, Sjoerd; Van Der Elst, Gerard (February 1988). ""Blue Phenomenon": Spontaneity or Preference?". Perceptual and Motor Skills. 66 (1): 308–310. doi:10.2466/pms.1988.66.1.308.
