Fifty shades of web design: A study on gender differences in color preferences regarding perceived aesthetics and usability in web design.

Abstract

Previous research has found evidence for the importance of color use in web design, the impact of color use on the perceived aesthetics of websites and the influence that both color use and aesthetics can have on the perceived usability of a website. Although there have been mixed results, research has also found differences between genders in their perception and preferences regarding websites. During this research, three studies have been conducted in order to examine the gender differences in color preferences regarding perceived aesthetics and perceived usability in web design. The first study has shown minimal differences between men and women regarding their color preferences. Interestingly, the second study showed that both men and women preferred the women-colors over the men-colors. Finally, the third study examined the effect of five color conditions and gender on the perceived aesthetics and perceived usability of a website. Little to no statistically significant effects were found, but it yielded some interesting findings nonetheless.