Quick question: Think of a colour, any one you like. What’s the first feeling you associate with that colour? I’m sure you’ve heard that yellow is a “happy colour” or that blue is a “calming colour”. But what determines this association of different emotions or characteristics with colours? Let’s explore the interesting concept of colour psychology.
What is Colour Psychology?
Colour psychology is the study of how colour relates to human behaviour. Research has shown that the wavelengths of certain colours stimulate our brains in different ways, thus evoking certain emotional associations to that colour. According to Angela Wright’s Wright Theory, these psychological effects are universal, regardless of culture, gender or age, and all colours can be classified into one of four groups: Morninglight/Spring, Dreamlight/Summer, Firelight/Autumn and Starlight/Winter.
Each group has a different psychological effect, and all the colours in one group are always harmonious with one another. Wright even theorises that each of these four groups are linked to certain personality and appearance traits as well; for example, Dreamlight/Summer people generally have softer features/mannerisms and are thought to be elegant and calm but can come off as aloof and elitist.
The way we associate colours to certain characteristics can also affect our mood. Warm colours usually evoke stronger, more aggressive feelings whereas cool ones evoke feelings of calm and peace. For example, research has shown that when placed in a cafe/restaurant with violet (cool-coloured) walls and another with yellow (warm-coloured) walls, customers found the violet-coloured one more pleasant. Shoppers also feel more comfortable in cool-coloured shops and were more likely to make purchases. Colours can also affect our performance in carrying out certain tasks; cool colours can drive better performance for more demanding tasks.
However, that’s not to say that there are no cultural links to how we interpret colours symbolically. For example, the colour red is seen as auspicious in the Chinese culture but in communist Russia, it was used as a colour of revolution and bravery. Even in national flags around the world, colours are chosen to represent certain traits of the nation and its people; our own national flag uses red to represent “universal brotherhood and equality of man” and white for “pervading and everlasting purity and virtue”.
Colour Psychology in Marketing/Branding
Brands have recognised the importance of using colour to create a strong brand identity. For example, Tiffany & Co. trademarked their signature blue, now touted as “Tiffany Blue”. This helps to cement its brand identity in their consumers’ brains; once you see that blue shade, you know it’s a Tiffany product.
Brands also use colours to create a desired emotional association with consumers. Fast food chains like McDonald’s and Carl’s Jr use a combo of red and yellow in their logos to draw attention to their brand and whet the appetite as well. The colour blue is a favourite for tech brands (ie: Samsung) or financial services (ie: PayPal) to incite a feeling of security and trust, while food brands will shy away from this colour as it’s rather unappetising.
The Wright Theory also states that if used correctly, the four colour groups mentioned earlier can also shape a brand’s identity based on the characteristics associated with them. For example, colours in the Firelight/Autumn group are the most commonly used in branding and they are favoured by brands with a long and proud heritage, or want to portray strength and integrity.
Other ways colour can affect you physically
This emotional association to certain colours can be used in colour therapy (aka chromotherapy or light therapy), which uses the different frequencies and vibrations of coloured lights to bring about a desired healing effect on the body. For example, red is said to stimulate circulation and blue has an antibacterial and calming effect.
One example of colour therapy used commercially is in skincare, where LED lights are used to deliver various skincare benefits. There are many personal handheld light-emitting devices on the market now so you don’t have to visit the spa for treatments.
As sighted people, colour can be something that we sometimes might take for granted because we encounter it so naturally and freely in our daily lives. But when you start to pay attention to the emotional effect colour can have on us, you might realise that simple things, like the colour of the rooms we live and work in or the clothes we wear, could be affecting our moods in a certain way.
So rather than spending money on self-improvement classes or throwing out old items in an attempt to “spark joy”, maybe all it takes is to just to change the colour of the things around you.
by Lydia Tan
