SOUND AND COLOUR INTERACTION The first fixation vs. the deliberate choice

Abstract: The representation of expressivity of sound and colour in functional information is still a fairly unexplored field. Alternative ways of representing functional information are necessary when providing feedback in technical environments as homes, cars, nuclear power plants, and intensive care. One possible solution could be non-verbal representation of expressivity in functional information using colour and sound signal. To determine which colours and sound signals are most suitable for an expression in a functional message, an experiment was run. Immediate first fixations of subjects and deliberate choices on 11 colours were measured and compared. Subjects rated how well each of 8 sound signals and 11 colours corresponds to each of 3 functional messages. Results of immediate first fixation and deliberate choice show that red nuances and the sound signal high pitch level, high loudness and long duration, are related to danger. Green is also in relation to danger a result which could depend on what situation participants thought of as the choice was made. While ongoing process is related to low pitch level and short duration signal. The measure of immediate first fixation is more often significant to sound than the deliberate choice is, therefore could this measure be more appropriate for the measure between sound and colour. Black and white are the colours with most first fixations and more appearing for ongoing process. On explanation of these results can be that they are more neutral colours and ongoing process can be understood as a neutral process. The results between danger and red nuances could have been influenced by a cultural convention.