(from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070820120720.htm)

Girls Prefer Pink, Or At Least A Redder Shade Of Blue

Science Daily — A study in Current Biology reports some of the first
conclusive evidence in support of the long-held notion that men and
women differ when it comes to their favorite colors. Indeed, the
researchers found that women really do prefer pink--or at least a
redder shade of blue--than men do.

"Although we expected to find sex differences, we were surprised at
how robust they were, given the simplicity of our test," said Anya
Hurlbert of Newcastle University, UK. In the test, young adult men and
women were asked to select, as rapidly as possible, their preferred
color from each of a series of paired, colored rectangles.

The universal favorite color for all people appears to be blue, they
found. "On top of that, females have a preference for the red end of
the red-green axis, and this shifts their color preference slightly
away from blue towards red, which tends to make pinks and lilacs the
most preferred colors in comparison with others," she said.

Overall, the differences between men and women were clear enough that
the seasoned researchers can now usually predict the sex of a
participant based on their favorite-color profile.

To begin to address whether sex differences in color preference depend
more on biology or culture, the researchers tested a small group of
Chinese people amongst the other 171 British Caucasian study
participants. The results among the Chinese were similar, Hurlbert
said, strengthening the idea that the sex differences might be
biological. The explanation might go back to humans' hunter-gatherer
days, when women--the primary gatherers--would have benefited from an
ability to key in on ripe, red fruits.

"Evolution may have driven females to prefer reddish colors--reddish
fruits, healthy, reddish faces," Hurlbert said. "Culture may exploit
and compound this natural female preference."

She said another way to separate "nature versus nurture" when it comes
to favorite colors will be to test the preferences of infants. The
researchers have plans to modify the color-choice test for use in
young babies and hope to have some answers on that front soon.

About the universal preference for blue, "I can only speculate," said
Hurlbert. "I would favor evolutionary arguments again here. Going back
to our 'savannah' days, we would have a natural preference for a clear
blue sky, because it signaled good weather. Clear blue also signals a
good water source."

The researchers include Anya C. Hurlbert and Yazhu Ling of Newcastle
Univesity in Newcastle upon Tyne,UK.

Hurlbert and Ling: "Biological components of sex differences in colour
preference." Publishing in Current Biology, 21 August 2007, R623-625.