Many effects of colors on humans have been extensively studied by the scientific community. In fact, almost every brand these days its unique color And there are certain emotions that it evokes. The biggest example of this today is that red symbolizes love and passion; of blue, calm and peace We can give it by association.

Of course it can vary from person to person, but in general this is true The effect of colors on humans This is the feeling it evokes in many people. What do pink and prisons have in common? Do you think this color was used in nursing homes?

Between the 1960s and 1970s, researcher Alexander Schauss decided to investigate the psychological and physiological effects of pink on people.

Alexander Schauss

late seventies which he named P-618. Schauss, who claimed to have found a pink shade, said this color was different from other colors. decrease in heart rate, heart rate and breathing claimed it had a significant effect. Of course, this was just a statement and he also had to conduct an experiment to strengthen his theory.

To test his theory, Schauss became head warden of the Navy prison in Seattle, USA. Gene Baker and Captain Ron Miller convinced. (Even the name Baker-Miller Pink comes from these two men.)

The results of the survey conducted on March 1, 1979 are quite surprising.

half of the prisoners on pink cardboard, The other half is dark on blue cardboard They were asked to look. Exactly one minute later, Schauss asked the prisoners looking at the pink cardboard to raise their arms in front of their bodies, then applied pressure to their arms and asked them to lower them back to their sides.

Schauss asked that the same happen to the prisoners who looked at the dark blue cardboard, and then asked the male prisoners to do so to monitor their behavior It had started. And yes, just like Schauss’ theory, pink really worked.

Immediately after this experiment among the prisoners in prison no hostile behavior whatsoever. not on display. According to the results of the experiment, to calm the prisoners Only 15 minutes They should be exposed to Baker-Miller stain.

This color has 2 different names: one is drunken pink and the other is Schauss pink. We understand Schauss, but what about drunks?

used as slang in English “drunk tank” The term means a detention center where people are held who drink alcohol and disturb the peace of society. Small prisons in the province, disturbing the peace in society they sent drunk people to the pink cell; As a result, the slang term “drunk tank” has cropped up among the public every day.

Officials who saw that the pink color worked almost went on a rampage. the beginning of the pink craze They also painted their surroundings Baker-Miller pink. In Texas, for example, in 2006, inmates who had committed repeat crimes were moved to pink wards and required to wear pink inmate uniforms.

In fact, this problem among prisons has become so bad that some prisons are literally turning their wards into nurseries. even a teddy bear in the room They were posting it. Mike Rackley, the sheriff in the Dallas area of ​​Missouri, made a statement on the matter:

“Basically, if they start acting like a child and commit a childish act We will create a childish atmosphere. Moreover, it is soothing; teddy bears are soothing. That’s why here like a children’s room “That’s what we did, it’s a kind of daycare for adults who can’t control their behavior in public.”

What does current research say about this problem?

By 2014 from Ghent University Swiss psychologist Oliver Genschow claimed exactly the opposite of Schauss’ research. In the study he and his team conducted, they randomly selected 59 prisoners who had violated prison rules, half of whom were placed in pink cells and the other half in pink cells. gray/white cells sent.

After 3 days of observation, the prisoners are moved to the pink cell Less aggressive behavior was observed. Although it contradicts current times, Genschow and his team predicted that “the color pink may conflict with the perception of masculinity and cause feelings of humiliation.”

However, we should not forget that this experiment can also include cultural differences. For example In many countries, the color pink is associated with femininity Although this experiment did not yield any results, the outcome may be different in countries that call for different things. Today, there is still no definitive verdict on this matter, and you can even try this experiment at home when you are most angry.

Our other content on colors:

Our other prison content: