The Psychology of Colour

The Psychology of Colour




Colour not only affects other colours, but also people viewing it. It affects people emotionally and mentally. When you view a colour, it is transmitted to your eye by reflected light (general) and is encoded by the rods and cones in the retina. These ocular mechanisms invert the information and send it through the optic nerve, when the information reaches the brain, it is then decoded and it is here that the mind will translate the colour into meaning.
Our culture is what gives colour a specific meaning. For this reason, colour psychology is not the same around the world. Colour has different meanings for different cultures and societies.
It has been accepted that colours affect us emotionally and many people dress determined on the effect certain colours have on them. Colours can also be used to express emotions for example, a "cool blue."
In 1988 a group of scientists confirmed that the human skin acts like a prism, converting spectral colours to chemical reactions within the body. People with the same health deficiency share the same colour deficiency, gravitating towards the similar colours.


Red:

We associate the colours of fire – red, yellows and oranges, with warmth. Psychological research shows that under red lighting, the human body produces more adrenaline and the blood pressure and breathing rate increases. This can lead to a rise in temperature.

• Urgency,
• Passion
• Heat
• Love
• Blood
• Excitement
• Strength
• Sex
• Passion
• Speed
• Danger
• Children prefer red
• Considered physically energizing
• Stimulating
• Aggressive
• An advancing colour

Blue:
Blues and greens are associated with being cool or next to nature. Psychological research shows that the colour blue slows the heartbeat and decreases temperature.
• Dignity
• Power
• Coolness
• Melancholy
• Heaviness
• Trust
• Reliability
• Belonging
• Coolness
• Liked by most adults worldwide
• The least appetizing colour when applied to food
• Researchers found that children tested higher on IQ tests in rooms with blue ceilings
• Relaxes the human nervous system
• A colour that suggests hygiene and coolness, blue is used from detergent to beauty cleansers

Green:
• Nature
• Health
• Cheerfulness
• Environment
• Money
• Vegetation
• Nature
• Freshness
• Cool
• Growth
• Abundance
• The most restful colour




Yellow:
• Warmth
• Sunshine
• Cheerfulness
• Happiness
• Cowardice
• Brightness
• The first colour seen by newborns
• Bright lemon yellow is the most luminous of all colours and the most fatiguing if viewed for long periods of time
• The most cheerful if seen at a glance
• Couples fight more and babies cry more in lemon-coloured rooms

Purple:
• Wealth
• Royalty
• Sophistication
• Intelligence
• Spirituality
• Dignity
• The hardest colour for the eye to discriminate

Pink:
• Softness
• Sweet
• Nurture
• Security
• While red may be considered an energizing colour, pink is the most calming. For this reason the California children's probation department found that violent children had fewer outbursts when placed in a pink room.