Case Study: Cross-Cultural Preference of UI Language Components, Cultural Markers - Cross-Cultural Human-Computer Interaction and User Experience Design - page 123

• Aqua: Sky and water was the most common meaning shared between the
two groups, the second was positive and energy. For the Chinese group, it
was a bright color while for the Czech respondents it was connected with
angels and innocence.
• Maroon: Passion and blood was the most common shared meaning. The
Chinese respondents also answered hair and chestnuts, while the Czech
respondents said women's apparel.
• Purple: Dress, luxury, and attractiveness was the largest and single shared
meaning. For the Chinese group, the color was connected also with flowers
while the Czech group named sweets and candy floss.
• Olive: No directly shared meaning was found. The Chinese respondents
regarded the color as military or soil oriented, while the Czech respondents
connected with it wood, food, and dirt.
• Gray: The single shared meaning was gloomy and unpleasant, mostly cited
by the Chinese respondents. For them, it was also connected with rain and
dust, while for the Czech group the color pertained to neutral, city, and office.
• Red: Together with maroon, the largest shared group revolved around pas-
sion, blood, and energy. Alarm and warning came second, followed by hap-
piness and fun. For the Chinese respondents, it was a color of the national
flag, warmth, and lipstick while for the Czech group it was connected with
berries and flowers.
• Fuchsia: The single largest shared group was connected with girlish fashion
and apparel. For the Chinese group, it was also a color of flowers and beauty.
• Yellow: The single largest shared group orbited around brightness, warmth,
good mood and activity. For the Czech respondents, it was a color of atten-
tion and highlighting while for the Chinese group it was for childhood and
freshness.
• White: The largest shared group was related to cleanness, followed by hos-
pitals. For the Czech group, it was connected with neutrality, potential, and
contemplation. The Chinese related the color to simplicity and holiness,
snow, but also weddings (together with red).
32) Which background color do you like the most?
Chinese
Hypothesis.
UIs with the following background colors tend to be regarded as more aesthetic: blue,
purple, cyan, or gray.
Results summary.
The largest group (25%) voted for white color for background. Some users are used
to white as the background and they think white can match other colors well, and at
the same time, lets the foreground emerge. The second largest group (15%) chose
aqua. Users consider aqua to be clear, and it is neither dull nor showy. When users
see aqua, they feel comfortable and refreshed. (See Figure 8.35(a).)