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Re: Color names, color discrimination



This is a classical Psychology 1A demo/experiment but works well in Physics to
introduce the perceptive nature of color discrimination and identification. It
is slightly out of our field but an interesting way to introduce color to your
students.

1. On folded out manila folders write the name of a color in that color ink.
(Broad felt tip) You need at least 10 cards, you can repeat colors.
2. Ask for a student volunteer to come up to the front.
3. Have the volunteer stand with his/her back to the class while you stand in
front of him/her facing the class.
4. Hold up a card with the color name written on it and ask the student to
identify the word, not the color, but the word.
5. Go through about 10 of these keeping score on the board of the number of
correct responses.

6. Now bring out a second series of folders with the names of the color written
in a different color than the name.
7. Repeat the above procedure.
8. You can use either of two different ways to measure this lab.
a. In both cases have a student in the class measure and record the time
it takes for the volunteer to answer. Should be significantly (whatever that
means) longer in the second case or
b. Use a forced timing. To be correct they must answer within 2 seconds.
Again you can use a student volunteer to do the timing and signal at the end of
each 2 second segment.

Ray Rogoway
San Jose (where the Physics teachers need the psychologists)



--
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep
And I have no more papers in a heap
And in the morning I can sleep
Or walk those woods, so dark and deep.
r.frosted