It is a known fact that we recognise different kinds of memory. The most known divisions are based on the duration of the memory (sensory, short-term and long-term) or the content of the memory (episodic, semantic, collective, ect.) Colour memory is a phenomenon that is not yet wholly understood. Humans have poor and inaccurate colour memory – it is contingent on many human or biological factors (age, sex, colour blindness, previous knowledge) and outside factors (lightning, colour display, viewing conditions). Because of this, the approach to studying colour memory may differ and can be observed from different angles. The purpose of this master thesis is to ascertain the influence of geometric shapes on short-term memory. Four original colours were chosen (blue, red, yellow and grey) and assigned five different shades each, with varying hue, saturation and lightness. Test subjects observed the source material on computer screens. The analysis was conducted based on answers that the test subjects delivered verbally.
The results indicated that short-term memory is influenced by the shapes used to represent each colour. Generalisations cannot be made about the positive or negative influence of various shapes on short-term colour memory. Test subjects showed better performance of colour memory in the case of associative colours and shapes (blue circle and yellow triangle), which is in accordance with expectations. However, this is not true in the case of the red square. The higher the colour saturation, the less influence shape has over short-term colour memory. Short-term colour memory differs slightly based on gender (women performed better). There is also a distinction in short-term memory in different age groups, despite an insufficient age gap between groups – the older group achieved better results.
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