The Daily Stat from Harvard Business Review

 

April 27, 2015 A Glimpse of Red Can Undermine Your Performance Research participants who had undertaken a task that required self-control were vulnerable to being derailed by a glimpse of the color red. Seeing a word against a red background decreased this group's performance on a math test by half, an effect that didn’t apply to participants who hadn’t done the self-control task, says a team led by Alex Bertrams of the University of Mannheim in Germany. Seeing red – or even the word “red” – is known to undermine performance; this study implies that the color’s detrimental effects can be overridden by the mind's executive functioning, as long as self-control isn't depleted. SOURCE: Ego Depletion in Color Priming Research: Self-Control Strength Moderates the Detrimental Effect of Red on Cognitive Test Performance

BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials | HBR's 10 Must Reads Ebook Boxed Set | HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations Ebook + Video Case Study | HBR Guide to Better Business Writing | HBR Guide to Getting the Right Work Done

FEATURED PRODUCT Nine Things Successful People Do Differently HBR Press Book Are you at the top of your game—or still trying to get there? Take your cues from the short, powerful “9 Things Successful People Do Differently,” where the strategies and goals of the world’s most successful people are on display—backed by research that shows exactly what has the biggest impact on performance. Here’s a hint: accomplished people reach their goals because of what they do, not just who they are. Readers have called this “a gem of a book.” Get ready to accomplish your goals at last. Buy Now

FEATURED PRODUCT HBR Guide to Building Your Business Case Ebook + Tools HBR Press Book This enhanced eBook version of the HBR Guide to Building Your Business Case includes downloadable tools and templates to help you get started on your own case right away. You've got a great idea that will increase profitability or productivity – but how do you get approval for the budget and resources to make it happen? By building a business case that clearly shows your idea's value. Available exclusively through HBR.org. Buy Now

ADVERTISEMENT

HBR.ORG | THE MAGAZINE | TOPICS | BOOKS | CASES | STORE | SUBSCRIBE TO HBR UNSUBSCRIBE | NEWSLETTERS PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT Copyright © 2015 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing 60 Harvard Way Boston, MA 02163 CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-545-7685 (US/Canada) 1-617-783-7600 (outside the U.S. and Canada)