# Perceptual colour compatibility poll **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 12, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847 "2004-02-12T15:15:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/61 "2004-02-13T13:01:33Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > R2, B3, G2. > > No idea why. > Do we get to find out the reasoning behind the test when it’s over? Oops, you already explained. I purposely answered before reading anything more, because I found that even looking at people’s answers influenced me. “Oh dear, everyone seems to like R1, what’s wrong with me”, kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/62 "2004-02-13T13:03:37Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Ask yourself… what usually happens to lab rats when the experiment is over? Never mind. I’ll be over here nudging the water dispenser. Squeek. ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/63 "2004-02-13T13:11:00Z")
I choose R3 G2 B1 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/64 "2004-02-13T13:12:16Z")
BTW; I’ll post the analysis of the results tonight ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/65 "2004-02-13T14:43:33Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > BTW; I’ll post the analysis of the results tonight I think this is a cunning ploy to veto his wife’s new colour scheme for the living room. “See honey, 47 out of 50 respondents said your colours suck!” Either that or he’s designing a new suit for Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen. ---
**Author:** ![Sub-Contractor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@Sub-Contractor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sub-Contractor)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/66 "2004-02-13T14:50:42Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > BTW; I’ll post the analysis of the results tonight R1 G3 B3 Use me! Use me too, use me too…\ ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/67 "2004-02-13T14:52:36Z")
OK - I haven’t entered all of the responses into the spreadsheet yet. (that doesn’t mean they won’t still arrest you) ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/68 "2004-02-13T16:08:38Z")
R3 G2 B3 I liked the color blends better that way. ---
**Author:** ![verbenabeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@verbenabeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/verbenabeast)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/69 "2004-02-14T02:35:23Z")
R1 G2 B3 please tell me why… and tell me why we are doing this if you have a moment… I feel a bit like a sheep… baaa! ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/70 "2004-02-14T04:06:52Z")
Two set of answers, depending on what ‘best’ means… R1G2B1 as far as _smooth_ blending goes. R3G3B3 as far as colour _harmony_ goes. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/71 "2004-02-14T04:53:07Z")
I think that r3, g3, and b1 are the best. I copied the picture into paint and put it on a black background, which really helped the colors “pop” out. ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/72 "2004-02-14T05:36:34Z")
Hm. R3, G2, B…1. I had a really hard time deciding between B1 and B3: I like both. But, if I were to use those colors for painting my room, for instance, I’d probably use B1. * * * \<\< ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI! \>\> ---
**Author:** ![boofy\_bloke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@boofy\_bloke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boofy_bloke)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/73 "2004-02-14T08:34:54Z")
R3G2B3 I’m RG colour blind so G2 and B3 look like solid dots, not blends. ---
**Author:** ![elfje](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19b73/32.png) [@elfje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfje)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/74 "2004-02-14T11:52:06Z")
R3 G2 B1 R3 G2 B1 R3 G2 B1 ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/75 "2004-02-14T12:19:27Z")
R1, G3, B1 ---
**Author:** ![zephyrine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/35a633/32.png) [@zephyrine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zephyrine)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/76 "2004-02-14T12:56:01Z")
R3 G1 B3 I wasn’t really crazy about any of them. ---
**Author:** ![Pinkerbloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/779978/32.png) [@Pinkerbloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pinkerbloo)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/77 "2004-02-14T13:50:51Z")
R3 G2 B1. Just liked them better that way. ---
**Author:** ![Crimson\_Teardrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a5b964/32.png) [@Crimson\_Teardrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crimson_Teardrop)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/78 "2004-02-14T18:04:39Z")
R3 G3 and B3 ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/79 "2004-02-14T19:30:46Z")
R3, G2, B1 ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847/80 "2004-02-15T00:33:47Z")
Ok, thanks again for all the input. The purpose of the test (which, as I said, is a little flawed) was to try to determine whether people think of: Cyan as a better match for blue than green Magenta as a better match for red than blue Yellow as a better match for green than red The results: Cyan - Blue(33), Green(18), Red(1) Magenta - Blue(29), Reg(20), Green(1) Yellow - Green(43), Red(41), Blue(0) So, the experiment did not yield the expected result, but I think I asked the wrong question. If anyone is interested in analysing the data form themselves, the spreadsheet can be found [here]([http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gurman/colour](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gurman/colour) affinities.xls), or just the bar chart showing the resuls [here](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gurman/results.JPG) - there are some potentially interesting things to explore, for example whether a person who matched red and yellow is more likely to also match another set of colours… I think a better test would be to present the participant with a series of colours, each of which was an uneven mix of two (RGB)primaries, and give them the choice of ‘classifying’ the mixture as one of the three choices ‘red’, ‘green’ or ‘blue’ (or assigning the mixed shade to the category that is least wrong. I suspect that shades of cyan would mostly be classified as blue, even if the actual mix contains a slightly higher proportion of green, likewise, I think magenta will cross to red before the point of balance. Yellow, on the other hand, I thought would have tended towards green, but I think that is wrong and that it would be found to lean towards red (if any of that makes any sense). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perceptual-colour-compatibility-poll/228847.md?page=5)