COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY

Colour is an influential communication tool and can be used to influence mood and even influence psychological reaction.

WHAT IS COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY?

Aristotle developed the first known theory of colour believing it was sent by God from heaven through celestial rays of light. He suggested that all colours came from white and black (lightness and darkness) and related them to the four elements – water, air, earth, and fire.

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF COLOURS

According to colour psychology, colour-related emotions are highly dependent on your personal preferences and past experiences with that particular colour. Each colour has its own meaning and positive and negative sides. The choice of your colour also represents your personality. Here we will find out about the meanings of some colours along with their positive, negative sides and its personality.

Black - Black doesn't come under a colour scheme. It absorbs every colour and makes shades with mixing hues. Positive side of this colour includes attractiveness and elegance. Black oozes sophistication. This colour associates with power. Negative Side of this colour evokes anger, aggression, fear, darkness and sadness.

Red - Red colour evokes the strongest emotion of any colour. The most common feelings and qualities that the colour red can stimulate are danger, warning, energy, excitement, aggression, dominance, passion and desire.

Blue - Colour blue is often found in nature such as ocean, sea, or a pale blue daytime sky. This is the reason why it's described as calm and serene. According to the colour psychology, this colour is most preferred by men. It is often seen as a sign of stability and reliability. It also creates the feeling of sadness and aloofness.

Green - Green colour has strong associations with nature and symbolises the natural world. Green is a cool colour because it has shorter wavelengths. While our eyes need to adjust to see colours with longer wavelengths, they don't need to adjust at all to see cool colours like green.

Green is calming, natural, motivating, optimistic and envious.

Yellow - Yellow can quickly grab attention, but it can also be abrasive when overused. It can appear warm and bright, yet it can also lead to visual fatigue. Characteristic of yellow are attention grabbing, difficult to read, energetic, frustration and warm. Yellow can also be aggressive, complex and cheerful.

Pink - Pink is a light red hue and typically associated with love and romance. It is often described as a feminine colour. People associate this colour with qualities that are often thought of as feminine, soft, kind, nurturance and compassionate. Pink is joyful, creative, vibrant, childish, euphoric and refreshing.

Purple - Purple is often described as spiritual, mysterious and imaginative. This colour is the combination of blue and red. Purple is so strongly associated with royalty. People often perceive it as being a regal colour. Purple is the symbol of royalty and wealth. Different shades of purple have different spiritual meanings. For instance, light purple is associated with light-hearted romantic energies, while dark shades of purple represents frustration and sadness. Purple is unique and exotic.

White - The colour white is associated with weddings, hospitals, angels and is usually used to convey a sense of purity, innocence, cleanliness and peacefulness. In many eastern countries, white is symbolically linked with death and sadness. White is bright and can create a sense of space or add highlights. White is also described as cold, bland and sterile.

The color white in marketing and branding is used to convey a feeling of safety, purity, freshness and cleanliness. Some famous brands that use a great deal of white in their logos and marketing are Michelin, Gap, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Lego, Volkswagen, Starbucks, Fisher-Price, Levi's and Ford.