Winners wear scarlet (losers blue)

A recent study by Russell A. Hill and Robert A. Barton of the University of Durham found (published in Nature) statistically significant benefit of wearing scarlet uniforms or protectors in sports. Simply said in evenly matched competition people wearing scarlet uniform are likely to win 60% of the time!

Hill and Barton surmise that the benefit of scarlet uniforms is tied to the evolutionary psychology of color. For a variety of animals, the authors note, red coloration is a sexually selected signal of male quality and the presence and intensity of red coloration correlates to male dominance and testosterone levels. Thus, athletes facing off against opponents sporting red uniforms might subconsciously feel thrown off their game.

Is that why bullfighters wave red rag?

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