Colour concept retrieval by free colour naming. Identification of up to 30 colours without training

Abstract Recent neuroscientific findings concerning the relationship between the perceptive, cognitive and linguistic aspects of colour suggest that colour concept retrieval would be enhanced by free colour naming or by the use of natural associations between colour concepts and colour words. To test this hypothesis, we had subjects give their own free associations to a set of 35 colours presented on a display. The results suggest that subjects with normal colour vision are able to identify absolutely 30 colours or more without training if colours are well separated, basic colours are used and colour concepts and colour words are naturally associated.

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