The term colour therapy is not a new one, although not everyone agrees about the kind of impact it can have on the human mind. In exploring the profound effects of color psychology, understanding human behavior and perception becomes enriched with insights gained from a psychology degree, offering a deeper understanding of how colors influence emotions and decision-making processes.
Today we are going to discuss three of the most powerful colours, their respective impacts on the human mind, and how vastly colour principles are used today in everything from fashion to business. By the time you are done reading this, it is likely that you will be able to use some of the knowledge in your own life and work.
Black: The Most Powerful Colour, Or Lack Thereof
Black in its purest form can only be created in the absence of all colour and light; therefore, it isn’t necessarily a colour in the true sense of the term. It is often argued whether black and white are the most impactful colours when it comes to affecting the human psyche, but the emotions which these two manage to stir in us couldn’t be further from one another.
Although darkness, fear, death and a sense of foreboding are also equally attributed to the colour, black has been found to provoke a number of positive emotions as well, under proper settings. Some of the positive emotional impacts of the colour black include:
- Confidence
- Strength
- Intelligence
- Authority
- Specialness
- Sensuality
Red: Vigor, Celebration and Attachment
Red is a versatile and very powerful coloor with varying impacts, and depending on the shade and the brightness, those impacts can vary widely. Red signifies:
- Attachment/love/romance
- Warmth
- Sensuality, intensity and vigor
- Excitement
- Life and birth
- Celebration
- Comfort
It should be noted that red is also associated with danger, fear, sin and certain other negative emotions as well. Therefore, its impact on human psychology is highly dependent on the specific situation, the region, and other socio-cultural influences and perceptions.
White: The Colour of Everything
Finally, we have white, which practically has every colour in it, but similar to black, white can also be defined as absence of visible colour. Being an opposite of black in every sense of the word, it’s surprising how well black and white have always worked together in therapy, entertainment and business alike. Universally speaking, no other color has a more positive impact on the human psychology than white, which is why it is the standard choice of colours in hospitals and psychiatric wards. White signifies:
- Purity and innocence
- Beauty
- Tranquility
- Stress-relief
- Clarity
- Spaciousness
- Neutrality
- Simplicity
White can indicate a sense of loss in some cultures, but it’s limited in its impact even in those cultures. There is, however, a sense of isolation and boredom that can also accompany white under certain circumstances.
Use of Colour Psychology in Business: Attractive Colourways
A colourway is, by its simplest definition, a combination of colours, but it’s how those colours are merged and designed, that makes all the difference. The use of colour psychology is prevalent in all sections of business, but choosing the right colorway is absolutely crucial for productive business packaging. In a competitive market where everybody is trying to catch the consumer’s eye with attractive colours, knowing which shades work well together, and which colourways appeal to the psyche of your target consumers, is critical to boosting sales.
It should be noted that depending on one’s socio-cultural influences and personal experiences, the same colours might, at times, be viewed in a different light. Nonetheless, for the majority of us, these associations are valid.
