Are Numbers or Units More Important? The Moderating Role of Color

Li Xiaoming; Zhou Huiwen; Su Jingyi; Meng Yuan

doi:10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20250115

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Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2025, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (1) : 153-163. DOI: 10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20250115

Social，Personality & Organizational Psychology

Are Numbers or Units More Important? The Moderating Role of Color

Li Xiaoming^1,2,3,4, Zhou Huiwen¹, Su Jingyi¹, Meng Yuan¹

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Abstract

People often need to evaluate and make decisions based on quantitative information. Exploring effective ways to present quantitative information is crucial for enhancing the marketing effectiveness of advertisements and the persuasive role of public propaganda. Previous research has demonstrated that manipulating construal levels can alter individuals’ attention toward units or numerical information. Still, little attention has been paid to how to combine color design to enhance the persuasiveness of quantity information representation. Therefore, this study aims to explore the impact of numbers and units on quantity information evaluation and related behaviors under different color backgrounds (black and white or color) through two pretests and three experiments.
Pretest 1 examined the impact of different colors on construal levels using the Behavior Identification Form (BIF). Pretest 2 measured the relationship between unit/numerical information and construal level. Experiment 1 employed a 2 (color: black-and-white vs. color) × 2 (unit: small vs. large) between-subjects design, using a building construction background to investigate the impact of units on evaluating quantity information in black-and-white or color backgrounds. Experiments 2a and 2b were conducted in an experimental consumer decision-making scenario, using two different methods to measure consumer behavior (Experiment 2a: purchase intentions; Experiment 2b: willingness to pay), to investigate whether color and units, based on their impact on the perception of quantity information differences, would further influence consumer behavior and to test the robustness of the research findings.
Two pretests showed that black-and-white images led to a higher construal level compared to color images, and units were associated with a higher construal level compared to numerical information. Pretests showed that both color and number were related to low construal levels, and both black-and-white and unit were related to high construal levels. Additionally, the research demonstrated that the color background could moderate the quantity effect of quantitative information presentation. In the black-and-white background, individuals paid more attention to units. A large unit compared to a small unit led to a greater perceived quantity difference (Experiment 1), a stronger purchase intention (Experiment 2a), and a higher willingness to pay for a larger table (Experiment 2b). In the colored background, individuals paid more attention to numerical information, which in turn affected the perceived quantity difference and willingness to pay.
In summary, this study explored the representational effects of quantitative information in different color conditions based on the construal level theory, extending various fields such as research on color aftereffects and factors regulating the effectiveness of quantitative information representation. Particularly, this article offers a new perspective on recent research that suggests that different color background cues can affect the importance of units in quantitative information representation. As color is a ubiquitous visual stimulus in daily life, this research will help to provide appropriate presentation methods for quantitative information in combination with color backgrounds, thereby enhancing the practical effectiveness of decision-making facilitation strategies. From a consumer management perspective, when consumers compare quantitative attributes, color and unit may play a role, further influencing consumer choices. In addition to color background, future studies can explore the impact of construal levels on the evaluation of quantitative information from factors such as temperature, self-control depletion, and emotion.

Key words

color / numerosity effect / unit effect / construal level theory

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Li Xiaoming, Zhou Huiwen, Su Jingyi, Meng Yuan. Are Numbers or Units More Important? The Moderating Role of Color[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2025, 48(1): 153-163 https://doi.org/10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20250115

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