HUE, BRIGHTNESS, AND SATURATION VARIABLES IN COLOR-FORM MATCHING

The task required Ss to make either a color or form match with a standard colored geometric shape. A total of 240 kindergarten Ss were randomly assigned to 8 groups. For 7 of the groups, the form alternative differed from the standard and color alternative in hue, brightness, saturation, or some combination of these color characteristics. The eighth group was a control group in which only a form match was correct. Differences in hue had no significant effect on color matching, while differences in brightness produced the greatest number of color matches. It was suggested that contrast effects may be important in centering the young child's attention on color, often to the exclusion of form.