Discover the Meaning of Colours with This Simple Guide

 

A human being can register over 2 000 different shades and colours which are visible to the naked eye. Everything that we see at home, at work and beyond is an image created by the interaction of the colour spectrum. According to research, up to 87% of all impressions are influenced by colours.

The concept of colour psychology is well-known. It examines how our brain perceives what we see, and seeks to understand how colours affect our mind, body and soul. They can improve our mood, calm us down, stimulate us and create either pleasant or negative associations.

The influence of colours on our brain is used very strategically in the world to influence buying behaviour. In other words, colours make us buy stuff and clever marketing people know who to use colours to grab our attention, keep our interest, influence our decisions and in many cases subconsciously manipulate the relationship we have with the product. 

 

Do colours affect our lives?

Experts have differing opinions when it comes to the importance of colours in our lives. Many psychologists believe that colours have an impact on subliminal senses which affect how we think and reason. They also coexist with universal symbolic meanings that may differ somewhat between cultures and countries.

 

 

According to some psychologists, colour perception is closely related to personal taste and preferences. As a result, no colour can be interpreted as having universal symbolic meanings. Still, the type of person who believes in the psychology of colours includes not only esoteric thinkers but also successful businessmen and marketers who often base their brand development and marketing strategies on the power of certain colours.

Another belief that exists is that each colour has its own vibration and this affects the psyche, moods and emotions of people. As a fun exercise, choosing colours helps us get to know our own and other people's personality. Some colours can increase our concentration, warm colours stimulate body and spirit while cold colours soothe both the body and the mind.

 

The influence and importance of individual colours

All colours are created from the three primary colours of red, yellow and blue. Secondary colours such as orange, green and purple are created by mixing these primary colours. Obviously, there are hundreds and thousands of colours and shades which are the result of a combination of primary and secondary colours. These are called tertiary colours.

Let's look at what psychologists say about the most popular and most commonly used colours. Find out more about the meanings of colours and what your favourite colour says about you.

 

 

Let's look at what psychologists say about the most popular and most commonly used colours. Find out more about the meanings of colours, and what your favourite colour says about you.

 

MEANING OF THE COLOUR RED

Out of all the colours, red attracts the most attention. As a result, it’s the colour of choice for warning signs, sirens and alarms. Red enlivens life and friendship and is often used on flags to represent the pride and strength of a country. According to research, it strengthens our metabolism, accelerates breathing and increases blood pressure.

Positive associations with red: courage, strength, power, energy, struggle, excitement, determination, love and passion.

Negative associations with red: aggression, war, danger and defiance.

Personality Type: Red is the favourite colour of energetic, creative and selfish people. These people are often have highly-strung temperaments, can be explosive and fly off the handle at times.

 

MEANING OF THE COLOUR YELLOW

The colour yellow is the brightest colour to the human eye and is associated with youthfulness, joy, happiness, intellect and energy. It creates a feeling warmth, arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity and generates muscle energy. Yellow is a colour which attracts a lot of attention, which is why it’s a popular colour for taxi cabs and traffic control vests. It symbolises honour and fidelity; although in darker, less pure shades it can be associated with fear and cowardice.

This is why we refer to someone as “yellow” to mean cowardly. According to many psychologists, yellow evokes the strongest emotions. The right, pure shade of yellow lifts the spirit; the dirtier and darker shades trigger anxiety, fear and grief. Too much yellow can even make something repellent to humans. It’s even been proven that young children cry much more intensely in yellow-painted rooms. 

Positive associations with yellow: optimism, self-confidence, trust, extrovert, emotional strength, happiness, cordiality, honour and glory

Negative associations with yellow: irrationality, fear, depression, anxiety and emotional frailty

Personality Type: Yellow is the favourite colour of natural, purposeful and energetic people with a certain amount of eccentricity.

 

MEANING OF THE COLOUR BLUE

Blue is the colour of the sea and of the sky and is associated with depth, stability and intellect. It’s the colour of our mind and symbolizes resilience, trust, loyalty, wisdom, certainty, faith and truth. Lighter and paler shades soothe the mind and improve our concentration while darker shades stimulate clear thought.

Blue is a symbol of clear, direct and clean communication. Conversely, some shades can be very cold, insensitive or hostile. Blue is regularly chosen as people's most popular colour.

Positive associations with blue: intelligence, communication, trust, peace, harmony, security, faith, respect, glamour and empathy

Negative associations with blue: coldness, lack of emotion, indifference, complexity

Blue is the favourite colour of romantic souls whose beliefs are founded on family bonds and spiritual awareness. A ‘blue’ person can be slightly conservative but at the same time, reliable and trustworthy.

Personality Type: Blue is mostly the favourite colour of romantic souls whose beliefs are founded on family bonds and spiritual awareness. A ‘blue’ person can be slightly conservative, but on the other hand reliable and trustworthy.

 

MEANING OF THE COLOUR ORANGE

Orange is a combination of the energy of the colour red and the happiness of yellow. It's the colour of youth, fun, family and friendship; a radiant and warm colour that combines with joy. Orange represents fire, the sun, entertainment and the tropics. It symbolizes enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction and success.

Orange encourages and stimulates; increasing the supply of oxygen to the brain and stimulating mental activity. It’s also the colour of youth; favoured more often by young people. It combines with healthy food and increases the appetite, having a positive effect on our digestive system and heart. The darker shade of orange is the symbol of the autumn.

Positive associations with orange: fun, joy, friendship, family, physical comfort, food, warmth, safety, will and victory

Negative associations with orange: deprivation, frustration, light-heartedness and immaturity

Personality Type: Orange is the favourite colour of innovative types of people with lofty goals and ambitions who like to try something new.

 

MEANING OF THE COLOUR PURPLE

Purple combines the elements of stability represented by the colour blue in tandem with energetic red. It suggests nobility; strongly associated with the royal family and aristocracy dating back to Ancient Roman times. It symbolises power, nobility, luxury, ambition, wealth and extravagance. It’s also linked to intelligence, wisdom, dignity, independence and creativity.

Purple is a colour of mysticism and magic. It’s used by wealthy people, kings and rulers to demonstrate their power, but also by wizards and wizards. Purple is connected to deep mysteries of the universe and the galaxies.

Positive associations with purple: spiritual consciousness and power, authenticity, truth, quality, grandeur, creativity, clairvoyance, wisdom and truth

Negative associations with purple: introvert, decadence, suppression and subordination

Personality Type: You probably spend a lot of time lost in day-dreams, you are creative and innovative, but you are also keen and passionate. Purple people are inclined to be rather introverted as a rule.

 

MEANING OF THE COLOUR GREEN

Green is the colour of nature and health; symbolising harmony, freshness and fertility. It’s connected to feelings of security and is said to have medicinal and calming properties. One possible explanation for this may be that the human eye easily perceives the colour green.

Dark green is associated with money, banks and finance, with even darker shades associated with military force.

Green provides a balance between the heart and the head; between emotions and reason. It’s the colour of spring, growth, renewal and rebirth. Green regenerates and returns lost balance and energy and has the ability to reduce stress.

Positive associations with green: harmony, freshness, freshness, peace, relax, health, purity, balance, restoration, independence and productivity

Negative associations with green: boring, stagnation, materialism and ownership

Personality Type: The green-lover is a self-indulgent person who enjoys strong emotions and courage. They also have highly developed organizational skills.

 

MEANING OF THE COLOUR PINK

Pink is a shade of red which has a calming effect. It represents friendship and compassion, relieves pain and symbolises care and compassion. Too much pink can be physically exhausting and is often associated with weakness.

Pink is cozy, intimate, intriguing and even a little sentimental. Psychologically, it represents hopes and dreams and is inspirational.

Positive associations with pink: physical well-being, femininity, love, sexuality, care and the conservation of endangered species

Negative associations with pink: emotional claustrophobia, weakening, physical weakness and restraint

Personality Type: A romantic and sensitive soul, you love everything beautiful and have a great feeling for aesthetics. You like the attention of other people and you want to be desired, but sometimes you are impractical and you can be too trusting. 

 

MEANING OF THE COLOUR BLACK

Black is associated with power, elegance, and formality as well as death, evil and mystery. It’s a mysterious colour that fuses with fear and the unknown and often has negative connotations. Black stands for power and authority; it’s considered to be a very formal, noble colour associated with prestige.

The colour Black absorbs all other colours, meaning that from a psychological point of view it creates barriers because it absorbs all the energy coming to it.

Positive associations with black: elegance, timelessness, sophistication, emotional security, charm and efficiency

Negative associations with black: oppression, coldness, threat, exploitation

Personality Type: You usually need to always disagree with something. You are strong-willed and stubborn. People who love the colour black can be quite reserved, and often have an unusual hobby.

 

MEANING OF THE COLOUR WHITE

Where black absorbs everything; white reflects everything like mirror. It’s a pure colour that’s associated with faith, light, deity, innocence and virginity. White is considered to be the colour of perfection, symbolising morality ​​and high ideals. It usually binds only with positives.

White is the colour of peace and goodness, but its sense of heightened morality can cause negative feelings and barriers.

Positive associations with white: purity, skin, innocence, clarity, simplicity, sophistication, hygiene and efficiency

Negative associations with white: sterility, coldness, barriers, elite, hostility

Personality Type: You are a sincere, self-confident and balanced person. You prefer to rely on yourself rather than to lean on others. People who enjoy the colour white tend to be strong and self-sufficient.

 

Even advocates of colour psychology admit that it is not an exact science, and that it is impossible to categorise somebody with precision based on the colours they identify with. While people can demonstrate a number of the personality traits linked to a particular colour, it is rare that an individual will be defined precisely by the psychology of colour. Our personal preferences, experience, education, cultural differences and attitude all tend to count for more towards the make-up of our personalities. Colour perception is very subjective, meaning that none of the representations and symbols will necessarily apply universally. Having said all that, surely colours must have some impact on our psyches, otherwise the world would simply be black and white. 

 

Sources:

www.color-meanings.com
www.changingminds.org
www.colorpsychology.org
www.universeofymbolism.com
www.factmonster.com
www.colour-affects.uk