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5th International Color and Coatings Congress (ICCC 2013) December 18-19,

2013 IsfahanIran

Investigation the emotional impact of the color of NAJA soldiers,


uniform
S. Karami1, H. Izadan1, F. Mahyar2, M. Safi3, N. Khazaei4
1

Department of Textile Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran, 84156-83111,


Izadan@cc.iut.ac.ir
2
Color Image and Color Image Processing Group, Color Image Department of Color Physics, Institute for
Color Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran, 16688-14811
3
Color Physics Group, Department of Color Physics, Institute for Color Science and Technology, Tehran,
Iran, 16688-14811
4
Najiposhesh Co., Zahedan, Iran

Abstract
The uniform color of NAJA police soldiers in Iran is olive green. It is claimed that, most of the soldiers as
well as ordinary people are not satisfied with the color of the uniform. A research is being conducted to
redesign the uniform of the NAJA soldiers. The first step of the research was to identify the emotions that the
NAJA soldiers believed that the color of the uniform should induce. To do so, a questionnaire was prepared
to investigate 13 different emotions which may be induced by the uniform. The results showed that altruism,
security and masculinity are the most important emotions selected by the soldiers.
Keywords: NAJA soldiers, Uniform, Color, Categorical judgment.

Introduction
Literally, the word uniform roots from the words una (one) and forma (form). Generally it means
dressing in a particular fabric, design, color and insignia, defined based on regulations and traditions for the
members of the same military unit. With uniforms, policemen and ordinary people are distinguished from
each other [1].
Uniform model has been found to change the moods and self-perceptions of the people who wear the
uniform [2]. If the style of a police uniform could have an effect on self-perceptions and feeling formation, it
is likely that the police can also be influenced by the uniform's color [3]. The color of the police uniform are
also claimed to affect the others perception of police. On the other hand, choice of color has played a
fundamental role in being able to define the individual and collective identity of the uniform [4]. Some of
organizations prefer dark colors for the sake of cleaning issue. Furthermore, dark colors help police officer
not to be easily recognized by criminals, especially at night [5]. More saturated and lighter colors are realized
to be happier, more exciting, and purer (positive emotions), whereas darker colors make the sense of sorrow,
depression or hate (negative emotions). For example, red is generally associated with excitement and
stimulation, blue with feelings of security and comfort, and black with evil [6].
The most striking feature of police uniforms is its consistency and this is emphasized by the monotonous
color that has remained unchanged over the past years [4]. Based on this fact, the color of the police uniform
in Iran has not been changed for several years. Recently, it is realized that the soldiers who are doing their
military service in NAJA are not pleased with the style and color of their uniform and it is also understand
that the ordinary people are not delighted with the uniform as well. The aim of this research is to investigate
the emotions that a police uniform supposed to induce on the NAJA soldiers and ordinary people.

Experimental
In order to optimize the color of the military clothing, a psychophysical experiment based on a categorical
judgment technique using a fivestep likert system was conducted and 13 different emotions which are likely
to be induced by the color of the uniform were scrutinized in a questionnaire. These emotions are: authority,
power, security, justice, threat, discomfort, professionalism, help, honesty, masculinity, punishment, altruism
and affable. 23 NAJA soldiers filled the questionnaire.

Results and discussion


Figure 1, illustrates the scale values of the emotional impact of uniforms color based on the soldiers
opinions. The order and the scale values of the emotions are shown in table 1.

5th International Color and Coatings Congress (ICCC 2013) December 18-19,
2013 IsfahanIran

Figure 1:important induced emotions by the color of police uniform against mean of scale value

Table 1: scale values of important characteristics in the color of military clothing


Entr
y
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

important characteristics in the color of military clothing Characteristic


Induce a sense of authority with color combination
Induce a sense of power with color combination
Induce a sense of security with color combination
Induce a sense of justice with color combination
Induce a sense of threat with color combination
Induce a sense of discomfort with color combination
Induce a sense of Professionalism with color combination
Induce a sense of help with color combination
Induce a sense of Honesty with color combination
Induce a sense of masculinity with color combination
Induce a sense of Punishment with color combination
Induce a sense of altruism with color combination
Induce a sense of Affable with color combination

Scale value
0.101
0.226
0.428
-0.376
-0.850
-1.001
0.283
-0.227
0.094
0.319
-2.200
0.567
-0.157

Based on the results given in figure1 and table 1, the soldiers are emphasis on the positive emotions of the
uniform on ordinary people rather than its negative effect on criminals. These results seem to be similar to
the results obtained from previous researches. For example Surveys by Balkin and Houlden (1983) and
Singer (1985) found that the police officer's uniform conveyed impressions of safety, competence, reliability,
and intelligence [3].

Conclusion
In this study it was found that, the most important emotions that should be conveyed by the color of the
uniform of the police soldiers are altruism, security and masculinity.it was also found that the color of the
uniform should not significantly induce the negative emotions, such as punishment and discomfort. The next
step of the research is to find a set of colors for the NAJA soldiers uniform which fits the emotion results
best.

References
[1] T. Pfanner, RICRMars & IRRCMarch, 2004, 86.
[2] B. Harmover and U. Kuehnen, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 2002, 32, 2513-2525.
[3] R. Johnson, Journal of Police and Criminal psychology, Vol. 20.
[4] C. De Camargo, Internet Journal of Criminology, 2012.
[5]E. W. Grosskopf, Law and Order, August 1982, 27-29.
[6] C. J. LEE, B. Andrade, S. Palmer, How Emotions Influence Color Preference.

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