There are four psychological primary colours - red, blue, yellow and green. They relate respectively to the body, the mind, the emotions and the essential balance between these three. The psychological properties of the eleven basic colours are as follows (Learn how you can harness the positive effects of the colours, by joining us on one of our courses):
RED. Physical
Positive: Physical courage, strength, warmth, energy, basic survival, 'fight or flight', stimulation, masculinity, excitement.
Negative: Defiance, aggression, visual impact, strain.
Being the longest wavelength, red is a powerful colour. Although not technically the most visible, it has the property of appearing to be nearer than it is and therefore it grabs our attention first. Hence its effectiveness in traffic lights the world over. Its effect is physical; it stimulates us and raises the pulse rate, giving the impression that time is passing faster than it is. It relates to the masculine principle and can activate the "fight or flight" instinct. Red is strong, and very basic. Pure red is the simplest colour, with no subtlety. It is stimulating and lively, very friendly. At the same time, it can be perceived as demanding and aggressive.
BLUE. Intellectual.
Positive: Intelligence, communication, trust, efficiency, serenity, duty, logic, coolness, reflection, calm.
Negative: Coldness, aloofness, lack of emotion, unfriendliness.
Blue is the colour of the mind and is essentially soothing; it affects us mentally, rather than the physical reaction we have to red. Strong blues will stimulate clear thought and lighter, soft blues will calm the mind and aid concentration. Consequently it is serene and mentally calming. It is the colour of clear communication. Blue objects do not appear to be as close to us as red ones. Time and again in research, blue is the world's favourite colour. However, it can be perceived as cold, unemotional and unfriendly.
YELLOW. Emotional
Positive: Optimism, confidence, self-esteem, extraversion, emotional strength, friendliness, creativity.
Negative: Irrationality, fear, emotional fragility, depression, anxiety, suicide.
The yellow wavelength is relatively long and essentially stimulating. In this case the stimulus is emotional, therefore yellow is the strongest colour, psychologically. The right yellow will lift our spirits and our self-esteem; it is the colour of confidence and optimism. Too much of it, or the wrong tone in relation to the other tones in a colour scheme, can cause self-esteem to plummet, giving rise to fear and anxiety. Our "yellow streak" can surface.
GREEN. Balance
Positive: Harmony, balance, refreshment, universal love, rest, restoration, reassurance, environmental awareness, equilibrium, peace.
Negative: Boredom, stagnation, blandness, enervation.
Green strikes the eye in such a way as to require no adjustment whatever and is, therefore, restful. Being in the centre of the spectrum, it is the colour of balance - a more important concept than many people realise. When the world about us contains plenty of green, this indicates the presence of water, and little danger of famine, so we are reassured by green, on a primitive level. Negatively, it can indicate stagnation and, incorrectly used, will be perceived as being too bland.
VIOLET. Spiritual
Positive: Spiritual awareness, containment, vision, luxury, authenticity, truth, quality.
Negative: Introversion, decadence, suppression, inferiority.
The shortest wavelength is violet, often described as purple. It takes awareness to a higher level of thought, even into the realms of spiritual values. It is highly introvertive and encourages deep contemplation, or meditation. It has associations with royalty and usually communicates the finest possible quality. Being the last visible wavelength before the ultra-violet ray, it has associations with time and space and the cosmos. Excessive use of purple can bring about too much introspe ction and the wrong tone of it communicates something cheap and nasty, faster than any other colour.
ORANGE.
Positive: Physical comfort, food, warmth, security, sensuality, passion, abundance, fun.
Negative: Deprivation, frustration, frivolity, immaturity.
Since it is a combination of red and yellow, orange is stimulating and reaction to it is a combination of the physical and the emotional. It focuses our minds on issues of physical comfort - food, warmth, shelter etc. - and sensuality. It is a 'fun' colour. Negatively, it might focus on the exact opposite - deprivation. This is particularly likely when warm orange is used with black. Equally, too much orange suggests frivolity and a lack of serious intellectual values.
PINK.
Positive: Physical tranquillity, nurture, warmth, femininity, love, sexuality, survival of the species.
Negative: Inhibition, emotional claustrophobia, emasculation, physical weakness.
Being a tint of red, pink also affects us physically, but it soothes, rather than stimulates. (Interestingly, red is the only colour that has an entirely separate name for its tints. Tints of blue, green, yellow, etc. are simply called light blue, light greenetc.) Pink is a powerful colour, psychologically. It represents the feminine principle, and survival of the species; it is nurturing and physically soothing. Too much pink is physically draining and can be somewhat emasculating.
GREY.
Positive: Psychological neutrality.
Negative: Lack of confidence, dampness, depression, hibernation, lack of energy.
Pure grey is the only colour that has no direct psychological properties. It is, however, quite suppressive. A virtual absence of colour is depressing and when the world turns grey we are instinctively conditioned to draw in and prepare for hibernation. Unless the precise tone is right, grey has a dampening effect on other colours used with it. Heavy use of grey usually indicates a lack of confidence and fear of exposure.
BLACK.
Positive: Sophistication, glamour, security, emotional safety, efficiency, substance.
Negative: Oppression, coldness, menace, heaviness.
Black is all colours, totally absorbed. The psychological implications of that are considerable. It creates protective barriers, as it absorbs all the energy coming towards you, and it enshrouds the personality. Black is essentially an absence of light, since no wavelengths are reflected and it can, therefore be menacing; many people are afraid of the dark. Positively, it communicates absolute clarity, with no fine nuances. It communicates sophistication and uncompromising excellence and it works particularly well with white. Black creates a perception of weight and seriousness.
It is a myth that black clothes are slimming:
Which of these boxes do you think is bigger/heavier?
The truth behind the myth is that black is the most recessive colour a matter of not drawing attention to yourself, rather than actually making you look slimmer.
WHITE.
Positive: Hygiene, sterility, clarity, purity, cleanness, simplicity, sophistication, efficiency.
Negative: Sterility, coldness, barriers, unfriendliness, elitism.
Just as black is total absorption, so white is total reflection. In effect, it reflects the full force of the spectrum into our eyes. Thus it also creates barriers, but differently from black, and it is often a strain to look at. It communicates, "Touch me not!" White is purity and, like black, uncompromising; it is clean, hygienic, and sterile. The concept of sterility can also be negative. Visually, white gives a heightened perception of space. The negative effect of white on warm colours is to make them look and feel garish.
BROWN.
Positive: Seriousness, warmth, Nature, earthiness, reliability, support.
Negative: Lack of humour, heaviness, lack of sophistication.
Brown usually consists of red and yellow, with a large percentage of black. Consequently, it has much of the same seriousness as black, but is warmer and softer. It has elements of the red and yellow properties. Brown has associations with the earth and the natural world. It is a solid, reliable colour and most people find it quietly supportive - more positively than the ever-popular black, which is suppressive, rather than supportive.
Effect of Different Colors on Human Mind and Body
Take a minute and imagine the world around you without colors, how boring and unexciting life would be. Colors play a vital role in our daily lives and it has been proven that our activities and responses are influenced by them. Kenneth Fehrman, co-author of the book, Color: The Secret Influence states that, “Most people are unaware of the profound effect color has on their behavior.”
Every color has a unique effect on individuals and stimulates various responses e.g. the fast food companies use red, yellow and orange colors in their restaurants and product packaging as these colors are found to be helpful in increasing appetite. A research by the University of British Columbia has proven that blue color enhances creativity whereas; the color red helps to be focused and has a positive effect on memory. The Blackfriars Bridge made of black iron when painted green, showed a decline in suicide rate up to 30%. Studies show that pink color is beneficial for stimulating responses from females whereas dark green color has a motivational effect on males. Let’s take a look at how some colors affect our mind and body.
Every color has a unique effect on individuals and stimulates various responses
RED
The color Red is the most vibrant of all the colors. It stimulates the adrenal gland and the neurons. This color is ideal to wear for a walk or exercise as it is an invigorating color. However, too much exposure to the color red can cause stress; it may also cause frustration and provoke anger.
The color red symbolizes love; it stimulates heartbeat and breathing. Researches show that men feel more affectionate towards women wearing red. Wear red and you might get lucky in grabbing attention but may appear heavier than your original body size.
“If one says ‘Red’ – the name of color – and there are fifty people listening, it can be expected that there will be fifty reds in their minds. And one can be sure that all these reds will be very different.” – Josef Albers
YELLOW
Have you ever wondered why Smiley is yellow? The reason is that yellow helps to release a chemical in the brain called Serotonin, essential for causing a happy mood.
Studies have proven that yellow color enhances concentration and gives the brain and nervous system a “ wake-up call”. Too much of yellow color can cause fatigue. Studies show that babies cry more in yellow rooms. It is the most difficult color on the eye and people might lose temper more often in yellow rooms. It is also beneficial for speeding up metabolism and is a common food color.
“Yellow is capable of charming God.” – Vincent Van Gogh
BLUE
If you want some creative juices spilling out of your mind then get exposed to the color Blue. It is believed to have a soothing effect on human mind as it helps to produce some calming chemicals in the brain. However, too much exposure to this color may cause depression. Blue is used a lot in cooperate sector as it denotes loyalty. It is also proved that materials in blue color appear to be light in weight; this is one of the reasons why weightlifters find it easier to handle heavy weights in gyms painted blue.
The color blue is a non food color as it gives a toxic effect to edibles; moreover research has proven that when people are served with food dyed in blue they tend to lose appetite. For weight watchers blue kitchen can be very helpful, studies reveal that diners eating in a blue room eat 3 times less calories than in rooms painted yellow and red.
“Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the deity to be a source of delight.” – John Ruskin
BLACK
Black signifies power and authority, it represents knowledge and intelligence. It is the most popular color in the fashion industry because of its association with style and it makes people wearing it look thin. A food product packed in black color may bring in more profits because it is perceived to be higher in quality. Black is the most aggressive color, studies found that hockey teams wearing black jerseys were penalized more for fouls.
“I’ve been 40 years discovering that the queen of all colors is black.” – Pierre-Auguste Renoir
WHITE
White is considered to be the most neutral color. Baby products come usually in white to symbolize innocence and cleanliness. White is used by doctors and nurses to show sterility. In clothes, white is associated with sophistication. A research showed that people having hand tremors didn’t shake much in white rooms proving that the color has a calming effect.
“White covers a multitude of sins.” – Jonathan Milne
GREEN
Green represents nature and currently it is the most popular color that is being used in interior decoration. The reason is its soothing effect on the eyes. Green gives a relaxes the body and alleviates stress. Researchers have proven that the color improves vision. This could be the reason why classroom boards are in green color. Middle aged brides wear green to signify fertility. Green has a healing and hygienic effect and for this reason it is used a lot in hospitals.
People working in green offices have proven to be more satisfied with their jobs. Other surveys have also found that consumers spend more time shopping in shops painted green.
“Green how I want you green. Green wind. Green branches.” – Federico Garcia Lorca
PINK
Pink color is considered to be the most romantic of all the colors. It is the most tranquilizing color and is associated with femininity. Often sports teams use pink color to paint the locker rooms for the opposing team. It has been found beneficial in reducing anger and anxiety and this is the reason why prisons in US are painted pink to keep the prisoners calm.
Dr Alexander Schauss, from American Institute of Biosocial and Medical Research explains that, “Even if a person tries to be angry or aggressive in the presence of pink, he can’t. The heart muscles can’t race fast enough.”
PURPLE
Purple color symbolizes royalty, luxury and sophistication. People wearing purple color are perceived to be wealthy. It develops spirituality and deep thoughts. Purple color has also been found helpful to intensify sexual activity.
ORANGE
Something you need to turn up your bad mood? Orange is the color for you. It is derived by the combination of red and yellow color therefore it has combining effects of the two. It stimulates mental abilities and is an ideal color to wear for exams. It is also useful for increasing appetite.
“Orange is the happiest color” – Frank Sinatra
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EFFECT OF COLOR ON MEMORY
“A recent study examined differences in peoples’ recall of words and memory for colors. Results show that people recall color to a higher degree. When people were asked to recall objects versus color, color memory was significantly greater,” Brain Based Biz said.
“Even when people attempted to remember words or objects, color had the greatest affect on recall,” the article said.
COLORS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Here are a few colors and the corresponding impacts they have on the brain:
Dark Blue – associated with night, often leads to passivity
Blue and Green – calming – blue is the most preferred color across cultures
Red and Orange – arousing
Red – may stimulate excitement and is used to light gambling casinos
Pink – interestingly calmed inmates in institutions”
From: Brain Based Biz
A TEST IN RETAIL THERAPY
Because color can alter your mood, it is no surprise that what you buy can also be affected by what you see.
“Outdoor colors, such as green and blue, are associated with sporting goods stores and even though red may stimulate approach behavior in general, it may not be appropriate for retail environments though it works well for lighting casinos,” the branding blog said.
This experience also correlates with psychology.
“One of the key results from cognitive psychology is that our perception of life is subjective. We colour [color] what we experience by the current state and mood that we are in,” Spirituality and Western Psychology, from Easimatch.com said.
LEFT AND RIGHT BRAIN
The functions of the left brain and the right brain are also crucial to color and the brain. The brain has two hemispheres—a right side and a left side.
“For most humans, the left side is tied to language and the right more to visual perception, imagery, and emotion,” the Spirituality and Western Psychology article said.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE COLOR
Overall, consumers will use quick brain power to determine whether or not they will make a purchase at a clothing store.
“Research shows people make up their minds to buy within 90 seconds of their initial interactions with either people or products. About 62-90 percent of the assessment is based on colors alone,” the branding blog said.
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