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An investigation of the Luscher colour test

University of British Columbia

The Lüscher Colour Test was subjected to examination. A survey of psychological investigation of colour responding precedes the experimental part of the thesis. Colour, preference, the determinants of colour preference, and colour meanings are examined specifically. Part Two consists of four experimental studies. The first was an application of colour measurement techniques to the coloured stimuli on the test. Results showed important differences in the colours on three published versions of the same test, whereas in fact they are supposed to be the same. A rationale explaining Lüscher's choice of colours to comprise any one version however, was not apparent. A second study examined the applicability of the test with colour-deficient persons. Certain of the test stimuli in particular were found to be indistinguishable in hue to dichromats. No differences in Lüscher colour preferences between 18 colour-deficient subjects and a control group were found, however. Sixteen depressives, 16 nonpsychiatric hospitalized, and 16 nonpsychiatric nonhospitalized persons were administered the Lüscher Colour Test in a third study. The test was only able to differentiate between a psychiatric and a nonpsychiatric population when colour preferences were scored via the Lüscher method of interpretating preferences. Without this interpretation the test cannot make such a distinction. Finally, 15 persons were administered the test in a longitudinal study. Results showed that colour preferences changed noticeably from week to week, implying that personalities would also change accordingly. The results taken collectively suggested that the Lüscher test is not a valuable aid to personality diagnosis and research.

Text

2011-03-31

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/33173

Psychology

University of British Columbia

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