Looking for the right hue to paint your weight room? Try red--it
may well enhance your performance. A new study by psychologists
says that seeing the color red leads humans to react more
quickly and more forcefully. Perhaps predictably, the
subconscious reaction is motivated by subconscious cues meant to
better prepare us for danger, and the boost is short-lived. Just
like steroids, however, there's a downside to the enhanced
performance. Because our reaction to red is based on sensing a
threat, it can also lead to "worry, task distraction, and self-
preoccupation, all of which have been shown to tax mental
resources." In fact, the reaction may be linked to blushing:
"Red enhances our physical reactions because it is seen as a
danger cue," explains coauthor Andrew Elliot, professor of
psychology at the University of Rochester and a lead researcher
in the field of color psychology. "Humans flush when they are
angry or preparing for attack," he explains. "People are acutely
aware of such reddening in others and