COLOURS AND EMOTION
TOPIC
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
MAIN QUESTION
SUB-QUESTIONS
RESEARCH
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
Asier ARETXABALETA
TOPIC
Due to my studies in advertising and public relations at my home university, my
interest in trying to know as much as possible about the target of all the publicists, the
human being, I see really important to research about how our brain reacts in front of
the tools we can use to persuade them. With this information we will be able to use
them depending on what do we want to communicate. In this case I choose the
relation between colours and emotions, how the human being´s brain reacts in front of
them, if it reacts. In that case the main designing examples I will focus on will be the
brands logos.
MAIN RESEARCH QUESTION
Is there a relation between colours and emotions?
SUB QUESTIONS
· How does the brain react in front of the colours?
· Which are the effects of each colour in our brain?
· Is there a clear connection between colours and objects?
· Is there a difference between cultures in colour association?
RESEARCH
BRAIN REACTION IN FRONT OF COLOURS
Human being´s ability to see color is something most of us take for granted, yet it is a
highly complex process that begs the question of whether the "red" or "blue" we see is
the same "red" or "blue" that others see.
How do we differentiate wavelengths?
Typically, humans have three different types of cones with photo-pigments that sense
three different portions of the spectrum. Each cone is tuned to perceive primarily long
wavelengths (sometimes called red), middle wavelengths (sometimes called green), or
short wavelengths (sometimes called blue), referred to as L-, M-, and S- cones
respectively. The peak sensitivities are provided by three different photo-pigments.
Light at any wavelength in the visual spectrum will excite one or more of these three
types of sensors. Our mind determines the color by comparing the different signals
each cone senses.
Colorblindness results when either one photo-pigment is missing, or two happen to be
the same. Interestingly, there is a variation among people with full color vision. Could
the faint variations of color perceptions among people with full color vision account for
differences in aesthetic taste?
Individual cones signal the rate at which they absorb photons, without regard to
photon wavelengths. Though photons of different wavelengths have a different
probability of absorption, the wavelength does not change the resulting neural effect
once it has been absorbed. Single photoreceptors transmit no information about the
wavelengths of the photons that they absorb. Our ability to perceive color depends
upon comparisons of the outputs of the three cone types, each with different spectral
sensitivity. These comparisons are made by the neural circuitry of the retina.
Where does the signal go when it reaches the brain?
How is color determined? The signal from the retina is analyzed by nerve cells (retinal
ganglion cells), which compare the stimulation of neighboring cones, and calculate
whether the light reaching a patch of cones is more blue-or-yellow, and red-or-green.
Next, the signal travels to the brain where it is divided into several pathways - like fiber
optics branching throughout the cortex. For example, visual signals from the
photoreceptors pass to retinal ganglion cells, which code color information, and then
to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) in the thalamus, and onwards to the primary
visual cortex. The primary visual cortex (known as V1) preserves the spatial
relationships of images on the retina. This property is called retinoptic organization.
Is it possible that our brains are wired to like (or dislike) certain colors? It all relates to
emotion responses when we see color. A study by Wellesley College
researchers Stoughton and Bevil Conway links neural processes to color.
Conway, who is also an artist, is using his research to determine how the brain
processes color and impacts our feelings about it. “I think it’s a very powerful system,”
Conway said in an interview with Co.Design, “and it’s completely underexploited.”
The study further relates some of the things we already know – color context changes
based on other colors in the field of vision and that emotion is a big factor when
thinking about color.
The study found that “globs” in the brains of monkeys reacted differently to colored
stimuli, and reacted based on color. The brain was most triggered by specific colors
(red, then green, then blue) and colors with the most saturation. What this tells us is
that these colors immediately impact a user and draw attention.
COLOURS PSYCHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
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.
It is important to note that colors can be subjective – what might make one person feel
cheerful can make another person feel irritated depending on the viewers’ past
experiences or cultural differences.
Color is not completely agreed on universally and can appeal differently to individual
countries. A designer must study their target audience and choose colors accordingly.
It is important to differentiate colours in three different categories depending on their
psychological properties.
WARM COLOURS
Red, orange and yellow are next to each other on the wheel and are all warm colors.
Warm colors often evoke feelings of happiness, optimism and energy. However, yellow
and orange can also slightly irritate the eyes and red can increase a person’s appetite.
Think about fast food restaurants like McDonald’s or KFC — most of these places
incorporate the color yellow and red. Why? Because they want people to get hungry
and then eat quickly.
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.
For design
If you want to draw attention to a design element, use red. But use it as an accent
color in moderation as it can be overwhelming.
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.
For design
is great for a call to action to buy or subscribe to a product.
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.
For design
However, yellow tends to reflect more light and can irritate a person’s eyes. In design,
it is often used to grab attention in an energetic and comforting way.
COOL COLOURS
Cool colors include green, blue, and violet/purple. Cool colors are usually calming and
soothing but can also express sadness. Purple is often used to help spark creativity as
it’s a mixture of blue (calm) and red (intense). If a company wants to display health,
beauty or security, incorporate these colors.
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 realize. 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.
For design
Green symbolizes health, new beginnings and wealth. It is a great color to use if a
company wants to depict growth, security or inspire possibility.
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.
For design
Dark blues are great for corporate designs because it helps give a professional feel, but
using too much can create a cold, disengaged feeling. Light blues give a more relaxing,
friendly feel. Great examples are social sites like Facebook and Twitter who use lighter
blues.
VIOLET-PURPLE. 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 introspection and the wrong tone of
it communicates something cheap and nasty, faster than any other colour.
For design
Purple is often used to soothe or calm a viewer, hence why it is used in beauty
products. Incorporate purple to make a design look more luxurious and wealthy or a
lighter purple to show romance and mystery.
NEUTRAL COLOURS
Neutral colors include black, grey, white, tan and brown. In design, these colors are
great as background colors. Use black, grey and white when using brighter colors. If
you are using textures, then incorporate tan and brown as your backdrop.
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.
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.
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,
Negative: Lack of humour, heaviness, lack of sophistication.
reliability,
support.
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.
ASSOCIATION WITH OBJECT PROPERTIES
Even if there isn´t any direct relation between colours and objects or services per se,
we can see that there is a relation between colours and some objects properties:
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CULTURES
Even if almost all colour properties are given by nature, what it is, for instance green is
seen in the trees and nature, so it is understandable the connection with a new
growth, health etc. But there are differences between cultures, not in the
psychological properties per se, but in the association with some things such as
cultural issues.
Here we can see the connection of each colour depending on the location:
RED
Western: energy, excitement, action, danger, love, passion, a warning to stop, anger,
Christmas
combined
with
green,
Valentine's
Day
Eastern: prosperity, good fortune, worn by brides, symbol of joy when combined with
white
China: the color of good luck and celebration, vitality, happiness, long life, used as a
wedding color, used in many ceremonies from funerals to weddings, used for festive
occasions, traditionally worn on Chinese New Year to bring luck and prosperity
India: color of purity, fertility, love, beauty, wealth, opulence and power, used in
wedding ceremonies, a sign of a married woman, also color of fear and fire
Thailand: color for Sunday
Japan: life, anger and danger
Cherokees: success, triumph
South Africa: color of mourning
Nigeria: usually reserved for ceremonias, worn by chiefs
Russia: associated with the Bolsheviks and Communism, means beautiful in Russian
language, often used in marriage ceremonies
Australian Aborigines: represents the land and earth, ceremonial color
Hebrew: sacrifice, sin
Christian: sacrifice, passion, love
PINK
Western: caring and nurturing, love and romance, feminine
Eastern: feminine
Europe: feminine color, baby girls
Belgium: pink was traditionally used for baby boys - now it is more common for it to be
used for baby girls
Japan: well-liked by both males and females
Thailand: color for Tuesday
Korea: trust
ORANGE
Western: affordable or inexpensive ítems, Halloween
Eastern: happiness, spirituality
Thailand: color for Thursday
Ireland: religious color for Protestants, appears on the Irish flag along with white for
peace and green for Catholics
Netherlands: color of the Dutch Royal Family
Hinduism: Saffron, a soft orange color, is considered an auspicious and sacred color
YELLOW
Western: happiness, joy, hope, cowardice, caution, warning of hazards and hazardous
substances
Eastern: sacred, imperial
China: sacred, imperial, royalty, honor, masculine color
India: sacred and auspicious, the Symbol of a Merchant
Thailand: considered auspicious as the bright yellow flower "cassia fistula" is a national
symbol, represents Buddhism, yellow is considered the royal color, the color of
Monday which is the King's birthday
Egypt: color of mourning
Burma: color of mourning
Israel: used to label Jews in the Middle Ages
Middle East: happiness, prosperity
Japan: courage, beauty and refinement, aristocracy, cheerfulness
Europe: happiness, joy, cowardice, weakness, hazard warning
France: jealousy
Greece: sadness
Africa: Usually reserved for those of high rank
Buddhism: wisdom
Jewish: yellow star badges of the Middle Ages and post war Germany and Poland
GREEN
Western: lucky color in most western cultures, spring, new birth, regeneration, nature
and environmental awareness, color for 'go' at traffic lights, Saint Patrick's Day,
Christmas combined with red, jealousy, greed
Eastern: new life, regeneration and hope, fertility
China: new life, regeneration and hope, fertility, disgrace - giving a Chinese man a
green hat indicates his wife is cheating on him, exorcism, studies show it is generally
not good for packaging
India: the color of Islam, hope, new beginnings, harvest, virtue
Thailand: color for Wednesday
Japan: eternal life, youthfulness, freshness
Indonesia: a forbidden color
Ireland: religious color for Irish Catholics, color symbol of Ireland - the Emerald Isle
France: not good for packaging
North Africa: corruption and the drug culture
Egypt: hope, spring
Middle East: color of Islam, strength, fertility, luck
Saudi Arabia: wealth and prestige
South America: death
USA: Money, jealousy
BLUE
Generally the safest color to use worldwide.
Western: trust and authority, conservative, corporate, peace and calm,
depression, sadness, "something blue" bridal tradition, masculine color, baby boys
Eastern: immortality
China: immortality, associated with pornography and 'blue films', feminine color
India: Lord Krishna, national sports color
Japan: everyday life
Korea: color of mourning
Thailand: color for Friday
Belgium: light blue was traditionally the color for baby girls - now it is more common
to use it for baby boys
Cherokees: defeat, trouble
Mexico: mourning, trust, serenity
Iran: color of mourning, heaven and spirituality, immortality
Israel: Coat of Arms
Egypt: Virtue, protection - to ward off evil
Middle East: protection
Colombia: associated with soap
US Politics: liberalism
UK & European Politics: conservatism
Religious Beliefs in Many Cultures:
Christianity: Christ's color
Judaism: holiness
Hinduism: the color of Krishna
Catholicism: color of Mary's robe
PURPLE
Western: Royalty, spirituality, wealth and fame, high ranking positions of authority,
Military Honor (Purple Heart)
Eastern: wealth
India: sorrow, comforting
Japan: privilege, wealth
Thailand: color of mourning for widows, color for Saturday
Brazil: death and mourning
European: Royalty
Catholicism: Mourning, death, crucifixion
WHITE
Western: brides and weddings, angels, hospitals, doctors, peace - the white dove,
purity and cleanliness
Eastern: death, mourning and funerals, sadness
China: death and mourning, virginity and purity, humility, age, misfortune
India: unhappiness, symbol of sorrow in death of family member, traditionally the only
color a widow is allowed to wear, funerals, peace and purity
Japan: Death
Korea: purity, innocence, morality, birth and death
Middle East: purity, mourning
BLACK
Western: power, control, intimidation, funerals, death, mourning, rebellion
Eastern: wealth, health and prosperity
China: color for young boys
India: evil, negativity, darkness, lack of appeal, anger and apathy, used to ward off evil
Japan: color of mystery and the night, may be associated with feminine energy - either
evil and a threat or provocative and alluring
Thailand: unhappiness, bad luck, evil
Judaism: unhappiness, bad luck, evil
Middle East: evil, mystery
Africa: Age and wisdom
Australian Aborigines: ceremonial color, commonly used in their artwork
*Here we can see one funeral in the United States (left) and one funeral in Thailand
(right), big difference in the mourning colour.
BROWN
Western: down-to-earth, practical, comfortable, stable, dependable, wholesome
China: In Chinese Horoscopes brown is the color for earth
India: Color of mourning
Nicaragua: Sign of disapproval
CONCLUSION
After this research I´ve learned a lot about colours. But not only about them, also
about how complex our brain is and how vulnerable we are. It´s funny to think that the
company Kentucky fried chicken for example, is playing with our brains and attracting
us to spend money in their establishment just putting the red colour on them. As
human being, I feel a little bit vulnerable and disappointed. However as a designer or
publicist, I feel really good, knowing that we have this tool to use depending on what
we want people to do.
I can compare this to the situation when you have to make a present for a
friend/family; you are sure that he/she is going to appreciate it because you know
what he/she like or need. Here is almost the same, as publicists/designers we have to
reach to our target group, the human being, and to be sure that we are going to
succeed we have to know them as much as possible. In this case, one of the basis of
the design we have solved: the colour. This research also motivates me to search
about forms; maybe those can be used as well depending on what we want to
communicate.
It is also really interesting how different can be a colour and his connotations
depending on the country where it is shown. This reaffirms how important is to know
our target.
REFERENCES
There is a lot of information about colours and their effects on the internet, also a lot
of studies made in different parts of the world. I´ve selected the most complete and
trustable ones and those with the clearest presentation:
http://www.academia.edu/3880952/RELATIONSHIP_BETWEEN_COLOR_AND_EMOTIO
N_A_STUDY_OF_COLLEGE_STUDENTS
http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/1BD.html
https://es.99designs.com/designer-blog/2011/09/08/how-color-impacts-emotionsand-behaviors/
http://designshack.net/articles/inspiration/the-science-behind-color-and-emotion/
http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/cultural-color.html
http://www.joehallock.com/edu/COM498/associations.html
http://www.colour-affects.co.uk/psychological-properties-of-colours