A Comparative Analysis of Eye Tracking and 2-Alternative Forced Choice Method for Assessing Colour Preferences in Young Children
Hridishruti Saikia
*
College of Community Science, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, India.
Nandita Bhattacharyya
College of Community Science, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, India.
Jyotika Boruah
College of Community Science, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, India.
Dubesh Sai Mangam
Department of Design, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Colour preference research has traditionally relied on subjective methods, which can be challenging to apply accurately in young children. This study investigates the effectiveness of eye tracking as an objective method for assessing colour preferences in children aged 6–8 years, in comparison with the two-alternative forced-choice (2-AFC) method. Six colours were considered, three primary (red, blue, yellow) and three secondary (purple, green, orange) were evaluated by 20 participants. Results showed that purple produced significantly higher fixation counts and durations, suggesting a strong visual preference. A positive correlation was observed between eye movement parameters and the choices made in the 2-AFC method, with both methods yielding similar preference sequences. These findings indicate that eye tracking may serve as a reliable standalone tool for measuring colour preferences in young children, offering an objective alternative to subjective methods in the context of educational and design applications.
Keywords: Colour preference, children, eye tracking, research methods