Cat Pattie is a PhD student at Newcastle University working on colour blindness, with a particular focus on its impact on education. Alongside her academic research, Cat has collaborated with Jonathan Bradley (CBG profile) to produce The Blind Truth, an in-person and virtual exhibition that explores social stereotypes surrounding colour vision deficiency. Cat and Jon are continuing their partnership to develop a related board game.
Cat was kind enough to share a little more about her research and other projects!
What type of research do you conduct at Newcastle University?
Over the last 15 years, colour has become a predominant feature in teaching and learning resources, largely ignoring the fact that 1 in 12 boys/men (and 1 in 200 girls/women) are red-green colour blind. Our study aims to investigate the consequences that colour blindness has on schoolchildren in the UK.
Why are you focusing on colour vision in education?
I think it is really important to talk about color vision deficiency in an educational context. For example, within the UK there will be about one boy in every classroom who cannot make the same use of coloured learning resources as his peers, and we need to address this to stop colour blind school children being disadvantaged.
Our recent efforts included a survey with questions about the impact of colour vision in a participant’s school setting, at present or in the past, including their experiences in class, interactions with other people, and their feelings linked to the use of colour materials.
What have you heard from participants?
My research participants have reported lots of issues they have, but most common are things like using spreadsheets and other people using colour for feedback. When I ask participants about their day-to-day difficulties with colour vision, many talk about playing games – particularly with maps and markers in video games and coloured game pieces in board games.
Have participants shared advantages related to colour blindness?
Yes. Some of my participants report that they are able to spot wildlife easier than their family members with normal colour vision by recognizing the shape and not being fooled by camouflage. Lots of kids that I have spoken to proudly call their color vision deficiency a super power!
What do you wish more people knew about colour vision deficiency?
That there are huge individual differences within it. Not everyone who is “colour blind” sees the world the same way.
What other projects are you working on?
I recently collaborated on an art-science project with colour blind photographer Jon Bradley. Our resultant work, the Blind Truth, explores living with colour vision deficiency.
Building off that project, Jon and I are now designing and developing a board game! Gamut consists of 400 square tiles based on the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 colour perception diagnostic screen. Players place tiles next to each other sequentially to score points. It is a colour perception game that is inclusive to colour blind individuals, and in which being colour blind might even be an advantage!
How can readers learn more or support your work?
The Colour Vision Lab Facebook page is a good resource for any upcoming studies and requests for research volunteers. We are also happy to discuss via email at NCLColourVisionLab@newcastle.ac.uk.
We are playtesting and refining Gamut at the moment, and I anticipate more to come on that in the future!
Colorblind Games 