The Short-Lived Tenure of Baker-Miller Pink
the untold history of colors — our very first blog post
As a part of my research on interesting colors of history, I stumbled upon an old favorite anecdote: the existence of Baker-Miller Pink. Fellow late-night Wikipedia stalkers might be familiar with this particular hue. Here’s the full rundown:
Once upon a time, a Swiss Psychotherapist named Max Lüscher believed that the colors people like can say a lot about their personality. He noticed that people's favorite colors change depending on their mood and physical state. He hypothesized that one’s color choices are a reflection of their emotions and their body's hormones. Lüscher began publicizing his hypotheses in the mid-1960’s. The psychotherapists went wild.
On the other side of the world, a similar thought process was going through another man’s mind. Alexander Shauss, a student in New Mexico, had encountered Lüscher’s research. He postulated that the reverse might also be true: color might cause emotional and hormonal changes, and various wavelengths of light could trigger profound and measurable responses in the endocrine system.
In 1979, Schauss managed to convince the Navy to let him conduct a study at a Naval correctional institute in Seattle, Washington. The study involved painting prison confinement cells pink to determine the effects on prisoners. They used a shade of pink that was eventually named after the directors of the institute, Baker and Miller. Assault rates before and after the application of the pink paint were monitored, and the results showed a decrease in hostility even with just 15 minutes of exposure which supported Schauss' hypothesis. Indeed, the hormonal effects of Baker-Miller pink were eventually found to have been present in color-blind, and even some blind, subjects, suggesting a physiological mechanism.
After this study, Baker-Miller Pink became well-known in the 1970s in an increasingly violent America where mental illness continued (and continues) to go ignored by our social institutions. As this specific shade of pink was quickly found to have a calming effect on people, it became popular choice for spaces intended to decrease stress, such as waiting rooms or rehab clinics. The color became so popular that it was even painted on the walls of correctional facilities, mental health institutes, and even locker rooms.
There was just one problem. Conflicting reports from both academic studies and public experience were showing that Baker-Miller pink was not calming people down. In fact, it was pissing them off. After fifteen minutes of exposure to the pink walls, peoples’ calmness went away. It was replaced by agitation, irritation, and volatility. Heart rates went up and grip strength soared, indicating an uncomfortable experience. The classrooms, drunk tanks, and mental health facilities who had utilized this color were largely unsuccessful. This was most apparent at the facilities painted in Maricopa County, Arizona, which you can research
By the 1980’s, it had become clear that Shauss’ original study must have been flawed. Results of controlled studies by James E. Gilliam and David Unruh found contradicting results to those of Baker-Miller Pink's purported effect of lower heart rate and strength. Although a positive and calming effect on prisoners was seen in one study, the same color in another facility caused an increase in prison incidents. It is suggested that this result was heavily influenced by the femininity of the color and the male-dominated population of the study.
As the topics of mass incarceration and psychopharmacology reenter the zeitgeist narrative, I thought taking this time to reexamine Baker Miller Pink (and our fascination with it) would be beneficial to the BS fam. Regardless of whether or not you’re interested in visual design, I feel like there are some real takeaways here. Don’t assume you know something after a single test. Don’t redecorate based on the advice of a stranger. Whatever it is you gained from this story — even if it’s just an understanding of America’s absurdity — I hope you value it. Also, you’re welcome.