Psychology of Colour

Colour is a dominant interaction instrument that is not only utilised to indicate action but also to sway mood and physiological responses. In the year 1666, Sir Isaac Newton found that when a white light is passed through a prism, it diverges into different colours. In psychology, there is a term called psychology of colour which means that there is an impact of certain colours on an individual in many different ways.

The psychology of colour is centred on the mental and emotional impact that colours have on sighted individuals in all aspects of life. There are subjective as well as proven explanations for colour psychology. However, people need to keep in mind that there will also be disparities in interpretation, meaning, and perception between diverse cultures. You must be aware of the fact that your environment may be swaying your emotions and state of mind. Well, there’s a good possibility that colours in those areas are playing a crucial part.

Colours are often linked with an individual’s emotions according to art therapy. Colours may also impact an individual’s mental and/or physical state. For instance, researches have demonstrated that some individuals had an elevated heart rate after looking at the colour red which further lead to surplus amount of adrenaline being pumped into the bloodstream.

Read More: Cultural Impact on Colour Perception: Why It Matters

Even though the way we perceive each colour is subjective, there are some colours whose impact has a universal meaning. Colours that lie in red spectrum (i.e. red, orange, yellow) are called warm colours. These warm colours arouse emotions varying from feelings of warmth and ease to feelings of rage and hostility.

Whereas, colours that lie in the blue spectrum (i.e. blue, purple, green) are called cool colours. Such colours are seldom labelled as calm but sometimes these colours can also depict sadness. Quite a few ancient traditions including the Egyptians and Chinese performed chromotherapy or the use of colours to cure oneself. Chromotherapy also known as light therapy is still used in today’s time as a whole or alternative treatment.

In this treatment:-

• The colour red was utilised to arouse the body and mind. It was also used to boost the circulation in the body
• The colour yellow was believed to arouse the nerves and cleanse the body
• The Colour orange was utilised to treat the lungs and to boost the energy levels in the body
• The colour blue was thought to calm the disease and heal the pain
• Shades of indigo colour were believed to reduce the skin problems of people

Read More: Impact of Colours on Mental Health

Contemporary Study on Colour Psychology

Often psychologists doubt whether there is even a thing called colour psychology. But people need to know that different colours have different meanings in varying cultures. However, studies have shown that in many scenarios, changes in mood due to colours can be temporary. For instance, when the colour of the room is blue, it often gives a feeling of calmness and relaxation; but the impact of the colour on our mind and body disappears shortly. Nonetheless, a current study has discovered that certain colour(s) can affect the mind and body of human beings in a range of startling ways:-

• A study discovered that warm-coloured placebo capsules were stated as more helpful in comparison to cool-coloured placebo capsules.
• Anecdotal evidence has recommended that if an area has blue-coloured streetlights, then it would further help in decreasing the crime rates in that particular area.
• Lately, researchers found that the colour red makes human beings respond with greater speed and energy, which is something that can prove to be beneficial for athletic activities.
• A research discovered that sports teams’ which are usually dressed in black uniforms are more prone to get penalties and that students were more likely to link negative traits with a performer wearing a black uniform.

Read More: What is the Psychological Impact of Skin Colour in India?

Colours and performance: Are the two related?

Few researchers have demonstrated that there are certain colours that can have an effect on performance of the individual. For instance, if a teacher marks the test with red ink and gives low grades then the student(s) feel disappointed and demotivated. One of the studies discovered that if a person sees the colour red before the exam intake then it could certainly hurt the examination performance. In other words, if colour red is displayed before the exam, it can have a negative outcome on the performance of an individual – as shown in few researches. Even though the colour red has been linked with feelings of excitement, arousal, and danger many studies could not staunchly prove it.  

In the experiment described above, 71 university students from U.S.A were shown a participant number which was coloured either red, green or black before attempting a five-minute examination. The outcome exposed that students who were shown the red number before attempting the test achieved more than 20 percent which was much lesser than those who were shown the green and black numbers.

Colours can have a crucial role in making certain moods and even sway the decisions that human beings make. It can also have an effect on the substances which human beings choose to buy, the outfits they wear and the way they decorate and maintain their environments. Human beings often buy products in a colour that not only creates a happy mood around them but also soothes the eyes of the viewer. Some people choose a certain colour for their room that creates a positive environment and boosts their energy levels.

To sum up, different colours have different effects on the mood of human beings. It has an impact on how people feel, act, behave and are completely subjective. However, more scientific research is required to understand psychology of colour. In other words, more studies should be conducted to understand the relationship between colour and the moods of people so that this field of psychology also gains popularity among the masses.