How colors affect people

The colors of the environment around us, emotionally affect all human beings in a very important way, because they affect the mood for physical and psychological reasons.

Cultural heritage on the perception of different tones, individual experiences that we associate with each of them and changing trends by adaptive issues make, every living individual chromatic varieties differently.

Thereby we can walk into a room and feel irritated, suddenly without any occurred nothing in social interactions that produce this reaction. To this effect the scientists call it, the psychology of color.

The perception of color in a young black gothic, will be very different from a person going to a formal dinner, or a person who is grieving at a funeral. Moreover, its meaning is not permanent, fashion, trends and social changes affect perceptions, for example, until Queen Victoria of England became fashionable white wedding, European brides went to the altar of red, golden or even dark suit.

What are the colors?

It turns out that when pure white light passes through a prism, it is broken down into visible colors. Each of these impressions has a wavelength and can be combined together to give rise to new colors. Our retina works like a prism that captures such information.

For centuries the effects of colors on the human psyche have been evaluated. Over the years various investigations and trials were made, in which the psychological and physiological reactions that produce colors to humans were tested.

The way in which the phenomenon occurs is as follows: the different wavelengths captured by our retina are converted into electrical impulses to the specifically the hypothalamus, central hormonal processes and endocrine nervous system.

These signals trigger different emotions in the organism: sadness, joy, excitement, anger, among others.

The psychological effects that have been tested are basically of two types, which are defined as direct, those that make a room seem cheerful or gloomy, cold or warm, cozy, etc. and indirect, associated with the affections and subjective or objective of individuals against the colors associations.

Another component which plays an important role in the appreciation of colors, is ambient lighting, as it can not only change color according to how it appears on the painted surface, but also can “create an ambience ” By herself.

What is the psychology of color?

The explanation of this phenomenon is much deeper because it involves not only a set of electrical stimulus and an unconditioned response.

The human mind is very complex and all our social evolution has led us to develop an important psychological plane passing through values, beliefs, traditions, etc. The symbology defined from culture makes us give to the colors meanings.

It is precisely the interaction between the nervous system in response to physical signals and flow of symbols we have inherited from society resulting in a psychology of color, that is, each color affects our emotionality and moods in a unique way.

Psychological theory of color by Max Lüscher

Max Lüscher notice with practice, that there are four psychological primary colors which can be split into two pairs: the colors heteronomous and autonomous.

Heteronomous colors are blue and yellow, representing the night and day respectively. Therefore, blue represents tranquility, passivity, rest and relaxation overall metabolic activity. By contrast, it suggests yellow daylight, and represents the possibility of action, activity, and glandular stimulation.

The autonomous colors red and green represent the body’s attack-defense activity. Red and external action to conquer and acquire. Green as self-preservation, defend against attacks and survive.

What is the function of each color?

Theories that relate chromatic color selection with the psychology of personality are called functional psychology. The structure of a color is consistent, that is always the same “objective meaning”. The “function” on the other hand, is subjective activity to the color, and it varies from one person to another, and in this, people interpretations are based.

The meanings of the colors are:

Red: Is the color of fire and blood, produces heat. It is the hottest of the warm colors associated with passion, impulses and danger. It is the color of vitality and action, exerts a powerful influence on the mood of humans.

Blue: Transmits seriously, confidence and tranquility. Promotes kindness and serenity patience, although overexposure to the same causes fatigue or depression. It is one of the favorite colors, but difficult to use in decorating environments. It is ideal for the nursery as it helps to soothe his energy. It is also recommended to balance the use of warm colors.

Green: It’s a sedative, hypnotic, harmless color. It is effective in cases of nervous excitability, insomnia and fatigue. Brings peace, security and hope. Used to neutralize warm colors. Suitable for any environment, it is advisable to have in the bathroom towels or details in this color because it purifies and energizes the body. It is the easiest color to visualize by human eye.

Orange: It is an incandescent, fiery and brilliant color. It stimulates recreation, vitality, fun and movement. It is related to communication, balance, security and trust. By the fact of being comforting and stimulating, it can be both calming or irritating. It is conducive to teamwork, helps the interrelationship and union.

Yellow: it Is the color of sunlight. It generates heat causes good humor and joy. It is the most subtle of warm colors, it acts as a positive energizer that does not become aggressive, giving strength. It is the most difficult color for the human eye view.

Gray: It does not influence the other colors, can express elegance, respect, grief, boredom, old age. It is a neutral and somewhat gloomy form color. It helps to emphasize the spiritual and intellectual values.

Black: Traditionally black is associated with darkness, despair, pain, formality and solemnity. It is the absence of color and all light impression, is the opposite of light as it concentrates all himself. It is the color of sadness, but in fashion often transmit elegance.

Violet: Represents the mystery, is associated with intuition and spirituality, influencing emotions and moods. It is also a wistful color. In the past, because of its high Price, became the color of royalty and therefore, even today, it seems magnificent, gorgeous and impressive.

White: Its meaning is associated with peace, purity, faith. Joy and neatness. In many cultures, it is the color that symbolizes the past or change from one life to another. It is a purifier color, gives feeling of cleanliness and clarity. It helps to get away from the gloomy and sad. It represents the divine love, humility and stimulates creative imagination.

Pink: Represents quiet, weakness and tranquility.

As we see, the influence of colors on our nervous system is very complex, but certainly points to a reality: the color is another aspect of the world around us, and the human being is constantly impacted by their environment.

We capture color differences through the sense of sight, and then it passes through the filter of our subjectivity. That’s the way, how color affects people.