Blue color in human life. Psychology of color: what gives color to a person's life

Many have known about the meaning of color in human life since childhood, although they are not always aware of it (from birth, someone is surrounded by pink, and someone is blue). Colors are symbols of certain events, they please or annoy, in connection with which they are divided into "favorite" and "unloved", in general, they are endowed with a special meaning. There is a whole section in psychological science that studies a person's ability to perceive and designate colors, which is called the psychology of color perception. Despite the fact that the existing color scheme may seem the same to us for everyone, and we think that the other person sees the color the same as we see it, in fact, the perception of color largely depends on many factors: cultural, social, physiological , psychological, etc. So, for example, if a person feels unwell, then he can be annoyed by shades that others like, and at other times seemed pleasant to him. Another example - since childhood, seeing a woman in a white elegant dress, children guess that this aunt is a bride, but a woman in a completely black outfit evokes sad thoughts about mourning and funerals. But these children, most likely, live in Western culture, since in some countries of the East, on the contrary, white is generally considered mourning.
Color improves well-being, cheers up, helps to tune in to the working mood, etc. The choice of colors is often unconscious and by the preference of one color or another, you can learn a lot about another person. On this basis, very effective color personality tests have even been created, the most famous of which is the Luscher test. That is why it is useful to know the main characteristics of colors in order to be able to use them quite consciously - to correct one's own behavior, as well as to create the desired impression of oneself in the eyes of others. For example, a person who comes in a smart bright red suit to get a job in a serious institution where everyone dresses modestly may lose to an applicant who appears in a strict dark purple or classic black suit. But at a festive party, a girl in bright red will attract much more attention than a girl in clothes of a calmer color. Skillfully choosing the colors that surround you in life - clothes, wallpaper, furniture, etc. - You will not only be able to become more effective in communicating with others, but also influence yourself. So, if you are sad, then surround yourself with orange and yellow, at least drink a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, carefully examining it before each sip - coupled with a citrus aroma, color will add optimism to you even faster.

The meaning of red

Red color symbolizes vital energy, stimulates and excites. It is the color of bold and decisive, but, on the other hand, it can be sympathetic to aggressive, cruel and vindictive people. If you want to look sexy, bold and expressive, choose red.

The meaning of orange

Orange is a symbol of optimism, creativity, freedom, love of life, goodwill and sociability. The man in orange clothes looks young and cheerful. Use this color in rooms designed for communication. He also believes that orange wallpaper in the kitchen stimulates the appetite, which is good for some (bad eaters) and not so good for others (those on special diets).

The meaning of yellow

Yellow color stimulates energy, optimism, mental activity and brings back the love of life. It is useful to use it in offices where they do mental work and high concentration is needed. In clothes, like orange, it helps to look young, perky and active.

The meaning of green

Green is a calm and balanced color. Helps to relax and calms the nervous system. By dressing in green, you signal your friendliness and poise. A green interior can help with insomnia, suits emotionally unbalanced people, and also reduces appetite - use light shades of green in the bedroom or in the kitchen. Dark green and emerald green help to concentrate attention (use to decorate your office).

The meaning of blue

Blue symbolizes wisdom and tranquility. Suitable for rest rooms, cools and soothes. Blue clothes indicate that you are sensitive, have a good imagination and maybe naive.

The meaning of blue

Blue is a symbol of devotion and justice. Causes respect. In the interior, it is suitable for finishing the bathroom (in combination with objects of warm colors) and bedrooms. In clothes, blue is chosen by serious, responsible and independent people.

The meaning of purple

Violet is the color of kindness and wisdom, sharpening the senses, balancing energy and sharpening intuition. It is also called the color of kings. Suitable for decoration of rooms for relaxation and meditation. In clothes it gives the impression of a wise, mysterious person.

The meaning of white

White is the color of purity and perfection. Dress in white if you want to emphasize your accuracy, decency, honesty and cleanliness. Use it in the interior to refresh dark rooms.

The meaning of black

Black is a symbol of the unknown and mysterious, but also a gloomy perception of life. Wear black if you want to emphasize your sophistication and authority. Do not abuse this color, as a person who constantly wears black clothes may seem closed to others, unwilling to communicate.
In clothes and in the interior, colors are most often combined or supplemented with small attributes of a shade that is different from the base tone, and different shades of the same color are also combined. Remember that choosing this or that color, you not only create a certain impression of yourself in the eyes of others, but also affect your well-being.

municipal budgetary educational institution

"Secondary school No. 1 named after the Hero of the Soviet Union B.N. Emelyanova

Trishchenko Elena Alexandrovna

teacher, methodologist

Shchekino, Tula region

2018

INTRODUCTION

"Only to those who love color, its beauty and inner essence are revealed. Everyone can use color, but only to those who are selflessly devoted to it, it allows them to comprehend their secrets"

(I. Itten)

Color plays an important role in human life. It is a great happiness that we see the world in color. Without it, life would be boring and dull. However, a person does not acquire color vision immediately.

Since ancient times, each specific color has been given a certain semantic meaning. The colors in which the world is painted have not only a purely psychological or emotional significance for us: they deeply affect our character and our health.

The color environment affects the performance, depending on the type of labor activity of a person and his nature. The great Goethe, depending on the type of works he created, used glasses made of variously colored glasses. He noted that red and yellow colors amuse a person, excite his energy, while blue causes despondency, suppresses a person’s mood and self-control. By the way, it has been established that most birds and insects are afraid of blue and blue colors.

It has now been proven that color affects the heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and muscle tension. So, in a yellow room, a person’s pulse is normal, in a blue one it is slow, and in a red one it is noticeably quickened. If a person's hand is irradiated with red or orange light before measuring the grip strength of the hand, then the strength readings increase significantly. In red-adapted persons, motion sickness develops much later than in blue-adapted persons.

When choosing the interiors of the rooms of your apartment, it is better to focus on those colors that are in harmony with the biological needs of a person. This, above all, applies to wallpaper and curtains. For that room or corner of the room where one of the family members has to work often and for a long time - write, read, count, mentally concentrate - it is best to stop at green tones, avoiding blue and blue. Otherwise, the one who works at the table will constantly be sleepy.

In our life experience, we almost never deal with pure color. We see orange orange, green grass, brown eyes, blue skies, not just individual colors.

It is almost impossible for us to separate color information from the one that accompanies it, from the contrast in which we perceive color. It is clear that the more diverse the information, the more reliable it is. What we see, hear, touch, remember, feel - all this synthesizes a single and inseparable picture of the world.

In this regard, it became interesting to me: how my peers, students of the gymnasium, perceive color.

I guessed hypothesis ), that a person perceives color not as an independent phenomenon, but as a characteristic of something.

Target - to study the color preferences of schoolchildren.

Tasks:

Study the available literature on the topic.

Create and conduct a survey.

Analyze survey results and draw conclusions.

I . MAIN PART

1. Color in our life

In human life, color performs not only a distinctive function. Its influence on the psyche has long been noticed.Color has become one of the most commonly used symbols. That is why it never happens, it is accidental in heraldry, national clothes, jewelry, architecture.

Artists are well aware of the importance of color in creating images, and therefore they are careful about its choice. Van Gogh in 1885 said with admiration: "Color in itself expresses something."

In different languages, there are from one hundred to one hundred and fifty names of flowers. Although our eye is able to distinguish much more. Representatives of different cultures relate to color nuances in their own way. For example, Russians distinguish between blue and blue, but the British do not. Some African and Australian tribes only know three or four words for flower names. There are tribes in New Guinea that have only two color designations.

Some experts, when asked what color is, answer that it is a sensation. If we keep in mind the physical nature of light, then we can say that its rays are not colored. A stream of light is a combination of waves of different lengths and frequencies that irritate receptors, the excitation of which causes us to experience color. Thus, color depends on the nature of light, and on the structure and functioning of the visual system. So, he is really our feeling.

Meanwhile, psychologists drew attention to the subjectivity of color perception. So, any single color or combination of colors can be perceived differently, depending on the spatial arrangement of the color spot, its shape and surface texture, mood and cultural level of a person. At the same time, color can also affect our mood and state. Therefore, designers and fashion designers attach such great importance to it.

Scientists have found that colors affect a person in different ways, depending on age, ethnic background and climate. A certain color or group of colors can cause an unequal reaction, the difference lies only in tones and shades. Experiments have shown that colors affect not only the human psyche and his emotions, but also his physiological parameters. Canadian scientists conducted an experiment in the effect of color on the pulse, blood pressure and respiratory rate. After the subjects examined the orange-red color, their heart rate and breathing became more frequent, and their blood pressure increased. Their nervous system reacted differently to dark blue: their pulse and breathing slowed down, and their blood pressure decreased.

Scientists have developed methods for studying the human psyche based on the preference for colors. The first creator of color diagnostics was a Swiss psychotherapistXXcentury Max Luscher.

Intuitively preferring or rejecting certain colors, a person appears as he really is. Such tests are based on the idea that color preference characterizes different emotional states. So, blue symbolizes devotion, green symbolizes self-affirmation, red symbolizes excitement, expansion, yellow symbolizes the desire for experiences ... If one of the life components is in discord, then the color corresponding to it begins to irritate latently, and the subject intuitively puts it at the very end of his preferences and, as it were, tries to displace the color that is unpleasant for him, at the same time replacing it with another - as a rule, achromatic (gray, black, brown, purple). Color compensation indicates how a person compensates for a failure in his state with passivity, switching to health problems, going into a fantasy world, or simply aggressiveness.

But color can not only reflect the emotional state, but also modulate it. It is on this that psychotherapeutic techniques using color are based.

How beautiful and diverse our world is thanks to the abundance of flowers!

2. Origin and names of flowers

Colors are annoying and soothing, screaming, arguing with each other and living affectionately one next to the other. In their struggle or agreement, there is the effect of color on a person through the sense of sight.

K. Petrov-Vodkin

Every object has its own color. Some objects are only recognizable by color. Color helps us know if the berries are ripe, or that autumn has already arrived, because the green leaves have turned yellow or reddened. Even the air, coloring differently, given forests or mountains, helps us navigate in space. At different times of the day, depending on the lighting, the shades of the sky, water and earth change.

The whole world in all its beauty, the shape of objects and the material from which they are made, space, and lighting we see thanks to the variety of colors.

It is important to remember that color can not only please, but also cause irritation, anxiety, a feeling of longing or sadness - in other words, color has an emotional impact on a person.

Some colors calm the nervous system, others, on the contrary, irritate. Green, blue, blue have a calming effect, and purple, red, orange, yellow colors have an exciting effect.

It is known that a person in need of physical rest, emotional peace, instinctively chooses dark tones. If the body needs to give energy through outward activity or intellectual creativity, then the natural reaction will be to choose light bright colors.

The action of colors is due to both the direct influence on the human body and the associations that colors cause on the basis of all previous human practice.

One of the first to explore the effect of color was I. Goethe, who, as a poet, was able to convincingly feel that green contained kindness, peace, the ability to calm the eyes and soul, blue evokes a feeling of cold, and red acted intimidatingly on him.

I. Goethe liked to look at the same landscape through glasses of green, yellow, red and other colors and observe how the perception and emotional state of a person change.

It is generally accepted that red, rich in associations, is exciting, warming, revitalizing, active, energetic; yellow color - warm, invigorating, cheerful, attractive; orange color - cheerful, joyful, fiery, kind. Rich in associations and green, it creates a calm, pleasant and peaceful mood. But the blue color is characterized as serious, sad, dreary, sentimental. Violet color connects the emotional impact of red and blue colors - it is both attractive and repulsive, full of life and at the same time causing melancholy and sadness.

The designation of color, paints are divided into two groups - ancient (such as "white" and "black") and relatively new, which the Old Russian language did not know - they came from foreign languages, and most are derived from the names of objects with a characteristic color.

Scarlet .

In the Turkic languages, scarlet means "pink", "light red", "red". Our word came from there (by the way, almost all words start with the letter "A"). And the fact that in our country it began to mean "bright red" is quite natural: when moving from language to language, the meaning of words often changes even more than their sound form.

Crimson and crimson .

Sometimes shades of red paint (up to brown!) were called the common Slavic word bagr. From this arose the names crimson and crimson. Crimson is called a thick red color, and crimson is a pure bright red color. For example, a crimson glow is a crimson sunset.

White.

Once upon a time (in the common Indo-European language) there was a root bhe; it meant "shine", "shine". Remember, the word birch also goes back to this root, probably due to the sparkling, unlike the others, silvery trunk of this wonderful tree. It was from that root that “white” appeared, and from it both underwear and squirrel, which we talked about, and many other words.

White color means purity, innocence, freshness and coolness, truthfulness and clarity. White color is a “bottomless hole”, emptiness, it causes the pupils of the eyes to narrow quickly and therefore quickly tire. Too passionate people need to concentrate more often on pure white.

Burgundy.

Pronounced from bordeaux meaning "dark red". Borrowed in the 18th century from French, where boraeaux, "dark red", "the color of Bordeaux wine" (made in Bordeaux). Why speak so long: dark red, when you can say "bordeaux" briefly and sonorously.

Blue .

The etiology here is extremely brief, the color is named after the color of the dove's neck.

Blue symbolizes the cosmic spirit, truth, spirituality. This is innocence, peacefulness, yielding calmness, well-being. Blue is considered the color of boys. This color manifests such character traits as freedom, carelessness, carelessness, optionality, friendliness, a tendency to change the situation.

It has been experimentally established that blueness not only puts you to sleep, but also creates a feeling of freshness, which is also important for falling asleep quickly. Bedrooms should be painted in blue and blue tones.

Yellow.

Interestingly, this word has the same root as the words gold, green. In the Lithuanian language, for example, "golden" would be yellow, the primary meaning here was, apparently, "yellow-shining".

Yellow associated with science, observation and analysis. According to its qualities, yellow means wealth, dreams, fantasies, courage, joy, intimacy, youth, as well as envy and jealousy. If you stay in a bright yellow room for a long time, a severe headache may begin.

Green.

The same ancient root as yellow. In the Old Russian language there was a word zel - "shoots of winter". The words cereal, greens are close to him.

Green color means a state of health and "elastic tension". Psychologically, this is expressed in active will, perseverance and constancy. Green color is used to treat some mental disorders, hysteria, nervous fatigue. Not without reason, by the way, tables for card games or for playing billiards and table tennis in most cases have a green color - the color of self-control, mental balance.

Brown.

Brown means the color of cinnamon - a reddish - brown spice - powdered from the bark or even pieces of the bark of the tropical tree cinnamomum. The spice is overseas, but the name cinnamon is purely Russian "Little crust" (from the bark).

In brown orange fades to black. The discomfort of the orange color goes inward, is not realized. Brown is usually perceived as heavy, rough, disgusting. This is a sign of decomposition, decay, death, a symbol of animal feelings, passions and base desires.

There are many reasons for brown discomfort: poor health, family troubles, belonging to an asocial environment, participation with adults in dramatic social events - evacuation, flight, emigration, and finally, mental disability.

Red.

Apparently, our ancestors liked the scarlet color so much that they replaced the old Slavic name black with a new one - red, that is, "the best", "charming", "beautiful". The root “kras” is included in the words denoting everything that was pleasing to the eye: a red girl, a red fellow, a red sun.

It should also be said that the red color in Ancient Russia was called both scarlet and scarlet, very consonant, but somewhat differently in dialects. Red paint was made from a special kind of worms (worms), hence the name.

Pink color - the color of optimism. Pink is red diluted with white. Its psychological strength is weaker than that of red. The "pink" person does not finish and often does not even begin what the "red" will undertake. Pink is considered the color of girls. He personifies refined love, tenderness, immaturity, weakness, timidity, sentimentality, attractiveness. Pink color relaxes like no other.

Orange color means holiness and health. It is usually associated with medicine. According to its qualities, the orange color symbolizes heat, energy, ripeness, as well as joy, warmth. The combination of orange and black colors - heroism and courage. If you are in an orange-colored room after a hearty dinner, then this facilitates the work of the stomach. But the same orange color can cause stomach pains in a person if the very process of eating takes place in his environment.

Black color symbolizes darkness, gloom, mourning, death, absorption, as well as heaviness, hopelessness. It burdens, enhances the influence of a nearby color.

Grey colour - it is a symbol of anger, meanness, fenced off and routine. At the same time, it is the color of secrecy, self-importance, fatigue. Not understanding whether you like gray or not is the first sign of fatigue.

Blue Colour means wisdom, fidelity, coldness, impassibility, calmness. Purple is a very powerful color. It means night, mystery, mysticism, suggestibility, modesty, abstinence, as well as sadness, disaster, old age, eclipse.

3. Color and person

Color can evoke both pleasant and unpleasant feelings. This property of color allows psychologists to determine the emotional warehouse of a person’s character, his mood. When a person is asked to choose a color, he subconsciously chooses one that matches his own color vibrations. What exactly, and in what sequence of colors he chooses, gives information about the physical, emotional and mental state of a person. This information concerns a new period of our life. In order to realize this choice, you need to know the language of color. Each color has its own meaning. Let's take blue as an example.

Blue - means complete peace, contentment, tranquility. It personifies the bonds by which a person connects himself with the outside world, unification, a sense of community. As they say, this is the light of fidelity, it also personifies the depth of feelings. It is a prerequisite for the ability to empathize, a symbol of aesthetic experiences and contemplation. This color is most suitable for meditation. It symbolizes contentment and fulfillment. Blue is timeless and therefore is a symbol of traditions of enduring values, serves to perpetuate the past.

Anyone who prefers the color blue needs a calm and orderly environment, free from anxiety, upheaval and grief, in which events develop smoothly and traditionally, in which relationships with other people are serene and free from disagreements. The person feels the need to trust other people, and others can trust him.

If a person rejects the blue color, then he rejects existing friendships, family, and professional ties. Because they do not meet his high requirements. He finds them either boring or burdensome.

Our color preferences depend on many things - on age, mood, season, weather, health, on changes in our character, on fashion.

Studies by physiologists have shown, for example, that blue reduces blood pressure and inhibits emotional manifestation. But very few people realize how much color affects our well-being, mood, and even work efficiency.

The French physician Ferre investigated the relationship between labor productivity and color. He found that when working for a short time, labor productivity increases with red light, and decreases with blue. When working for a long time, green light contributes to increased productivity, while indigo and violet reduce it. These studies relate primarily to physical labor, to muscular work, but their results should also be taken into account in mental labor.

The Romanian physician Stefanescu-Goanga investigated the effect of color on respiration and pulse rate. According to the data obtained, the frequency of respiration and pulse increases with purple, red, orange and yellow, while when exposed to green, indigo and violet, the pulse and breathing slow down. The physiological effect should be reduced, first of all, to the power of expressiveness, that is, the colors themselves cause certain physiological reactions. Steel poles should be painted light colors, low spaces can be made "higher" by painting ceilings light green or light blue. Contrasting colors (yellow - black) are particularly suitable for marking hazardous areas in a plant. For information purposes, it should be noted that there are many shades of colors, such as dark cool colors (dark blue, dark green) and light warm colors (bright pink, sunny yellow).

People can not only perceive colors, but also conjure them up in their imagination. The process of reproduction of received information is always accompanied by experiences. The impression of the beauty of a person, a workplace, a landscape, immediately after they have been perceived, and its impact is determined by a whole sum of factors, which includes the social experience of a person.

Therefore, it is recommended to paint in blue and blue tones rooms and equipment where there is a significant heat generation and where there is a lot of noise. Red and yellow colors have an exciting effect, so they should be used sparingly.

II . STUDY

Organization and conduct of the study

The administration of our school pays great attention to the color design of classrooms, corridors and the dining room. For example, our walls are painted blue, which symbolizes purity, peace and has a peaceful effect on children, as well as paintings of nature and flowers hang on the walls.

In the classrooms of our school, yellow color prevails, which gives the impression of lightness, joy, and reduces the fatigue of students in the classroom.

One way or another, color is usually perceived as the color of objects or as the color of a room. It has been established, for example, that people prefer one color (mostly no more than 2-3). The so-called cold colors (blue, green) speak of calmness, tenderness, sadness, and the warm colors yellow, orange indicate strength, authority, activity and a joyful mood.

To determine the color preferences of students, I conducted a sociological survey. A total of 75 people were interviewed.

The respondents were asked the following questions:

What color do you prefer in clothes?

What, in your opinion, is the most successful color scheme in the design of the school classrooms (name the number and name of the classroom)?

What color do you associate with success, luck?

When processing the results of the survey, I used the mathematical method of counting the data. As a result, I compiled a summary table by class for each question.

Processing of received data

Question 1 : What color do you prefer in clothes?

In total, answers were given: these are 19 options for color preferences.

The most popular are black and white. They were chosen by every fourth and fifth, respectively. A few "lagging behind" are blue, gray, red and green.

Question 2 : What, in your opinion, is the most successful color scheme in the design of the classrooms of the gymnasium (name the number and name of the cabinet)?

A total of 85 answers were given: 11 options.

The most popular classrooms in the gymnasium (in terms of color design) was the physics classroom. These classrooms are dominated by colors: pistachio, lilac, woody.

Question 3 : What color do you associate with success, luck?

A total of 119 answers were given: 12 options.

Schoolchildren associate colors such as yellow, white, green, red with luck and success.

Conclusion

Thus, the study showed that color is indeed perceived by a person as an accompanying information of an object. This is evidenced by the survey results.

"Color portrait" of a schoolboy.

they prefer mainly black (uncertainty) and white (purity, virtue) colors in clothes, less often - blue (wisdom, tranquility), gray (maturity, wisdom), red (passion, strength) and green (life, growth);

they like to be in a room decorated with pistachio, lilac, tree flowers, which symbolize perseverance, diligence, constancy, unshakable faith in success;

and with luck, success, yellow, white, green and red are associated (inspire optimism and joy, is associated with purity and fidelity, life and further growth, excitement, passion, strength).

The role of color is important in the aesthetic, artistic perception of the world. Color preferences are inextricably linked with cultural characteristics and established traditions.Our emotional response to color is incredibly strong. The perception of color depends on the physiological characteristics of your eyes and on the state of the nervous system, life experience and the environment.

Intuitively preferring or rejecting certain colors, a person appears as he really is.

So, blue symbolizes devotion, green - self-affirmation, red - excitement, expansion, yellow - the desire for experience. If a discord occurs in one of the life components, then the color corresponding to it begins to irritate implicitly, and the person intuitively puts it at the very end of his preferences and, as it were, tries to displace the color that is unpleasant for him, at the same time replacing it with another - usually achromatic (gray , black, brown, purple). Color compensation indicates how a person compensates for a failure in his state with passivity, switching to health problems, going into a fantasy world, or simply aggressiveness.

Color draws its significance from reality, and its impact is determined by a whole sum of factors, which includes the social experience of a person.

Having studied the theoretical material, I came to the conclusion that color draws its significance from reality, and its impact is determined by a whole sum of factors, which includes a person's social experience.

In order to create a "color portrait" of the students of the gymnasium, I conducted a sociological survey, which allowed me to draw certain conclusions. I can say with confidence that I coped with the set goal and tasks, and the hypothesis about the perception of color by a person not as an independent phenomenon, but the characteristics of something received its experimental confirmation.

This work can be used as a methodological material by a psychologist, as an additional material for class hours, can help a designer in decorating a school space, and can also be used as a practical guide for choosing the color scheme of a suit depending on the situation, the desired effect.

Each color has its own meaning, its own character, which affects our lives and behavior much more than it seems. What is color psychology? How do colors affect our emotions? What does each color mean? What is the symbolism of flowers in different cultures? What is the meaning of colors in psychology? Each tone and shade is associated with certain feelings, thoughts… In this article, we will get acquainted with the basic concepts of color psychology and give you some tips on how you can use the influence of color in everyday life. You will learn how to apply the knowledge of this science in practice.

The psychology of color

The psychology of color: what is it and what is it used for

What is the meaning of colors in psychology? What does each color mean? There is a whole science of color, which includes knowledge about the nature, components, characteristics of color, color contrasts, harmony, etc., called coloring. The psychology of color, in turn, explores How do colors affect us?. Colors may change our perception feelings and even make us worry. With the help of color, you can improve memory and attention, and even convince a person to make a particular decision. Knowing the meanings of colors is the key to understanding human behavior.

Color can completely change our idea of a particular object, subject or element. Imagine for a moment a toy for toddlers. Most likely, you imagined a bright, cheerful rattle or a shiny, contrasting fun toy. Now imagine the same toy, only ... completely black with silver details ... shocking, right?

Test memory, attention and other abilities with

Very likely. Although there is no color code for certain things as such, throughout our lives, we associate everything we see with certain colors. We do it every day and don't even think about it. However, when suddenly we notice, for example, a blue banana, orange eye lenses, or a sparkling yellow tree, it surprises us.

Research in the field of color psychology does not stop. The possession of this knowledge is of key importance for creative people, businesses and companies that plan to bring new products to the market. However, this science is also useful in everyday life: how not to make a mistake with the choice of a gift for a special occasion, how to please your best friend with the right present, how to create comfort in the house - understanding the psychology of color can help us in all this.

Color affects emotions and mental state. The psychology of color: the brain and emotions

Every day we do a huge number of things and are influenced by numerous incentives. Our brains are constantly being challenged. We do not even always have enough time to process all the information received through the senses during the day.

So, the associations we have adopted about shape and color save us a lot of time because they are processed automatically.

The psychology of color: the symbolism of blue

The meaning of green

Green is the most natural color, the color of nature, grass, youth and hope, health, fertility, money. According to the psychology of color, it is also the color of freshness and harmony, peace, tranquility. People who protect nature are also called "greens".

However, this color also has its “dark” side. It is also associated with poison, with that which poisons us, as in the above example - "turned green with envy or anger." However, most of the meanings of this color are positive.

neuropsychological

The meaning of brown

Brown is associated with laziness, dirt, vulgarity, vagrancy and ugliness. It may seem outdated, boring. This is one of the most underrated colors.

However, brown is also the color of wood and autumn, warmth and comfort. It is the color of chocolate and tan. This color surrounds us everywhere and evokes a huge variety of associations.

Psychology of color: what brown says

The meaning of gray

In the psychology of color, gray symbolizes mainly old age, modesty and simplicity. It can be dark, boring or bland, and even harbor secrets and mysteries. Hence the expressions - "gray scheme" or "gray salary". On the other hand, this color reminds us of elegance in fashion or the "gray matter" of the brain.

What does black mean

As with white, there is still debate about whether black is actually a color. According to color psychology, black is associated with night, power, and death. It represents mystery, mourning, denial, hatred, cruelty, and the like. Black cats are associated with bad luck and no one wants to experience a “rainy day”.

However... who doesn't have black in their wardrobe? This color surrounds us everywhere, it is useful and functional. A beautiful black dress or suit is always an elegant option for evening wear.

Psychology of color: what does black mean

Eva Geller's book The Psychology of Color goes into detail about the meaning of colors. This book is one of the main sources for this article.

Color symbolism in different cultures

Research has been done as to whether the classification of colors is natural or determined by society. B. Berlin and P. Kay, having studied various cultures, came to the conclusion that among most cultures there are general trends in the categorization of colors. It is generally accepted that there are six primary colors, and all the rest are somehow grouped around them. The concepts of primary colors are the same, and then variations are already possible.

As for the meanings: in Europe it is not customary to dress brightly for a funeral, black or dark colors are preferable. In Asia, mourning is symbolized by the white color, since this color is associated with ideas about reincarnation. However, earlier in Europe, this color was widely used by women in mourning, they covered their heads with large white scarves.

However, within our culture color symbolism is not permanent. Did you know that in Europe, girls began to dress in pink and boys in blue, around 1920? In recent years, this tradition has come under increasing criticism. Over time, we change the meanings of colors and create new traditions that will someday also be forgotten or fashion will dictate its own new rules.

The brand of a company is very important. If we are told about the color red and a drink… no more clues are needed, we understand what kind of company we are talking about. Various companies use certain colors and other visual elements in their logo in a way that conveys their individuality. The role of color is key in marketing strategies, and sciences such as neuromarketing explore the effects of colors on the brain and human consumer behavior.

Imagine that the same restaurant chain will decorate each of its restaurants in completely opposite colors, without respecting the corporate style. In this case, our understanding of this brand will be blurred, we may not even remember that this is the same network. As a result, such a restaurant will lose many opportunities to retain and expand the customer base. Of course, the image, logo and corporate style is not everything, but it is important. Especially now, with a high level of development of competition in the market.

We can even see how companies use colors depending on the target audience or current market trends. For example, many people add a green light to their logo, which symbolizes ecology and environmental protection.

Color is important not only for customers and consumers. Employees will also feel better and be more productive if they work in a comfortable office or space. A dark, poorly lit space will have a bad effect on performance and force workers to spend as little time as possible in the workplace.

And vice versa, if we paint the walls white, add something green, blue and other warm colors to the interior (taking into account the corporate style), the workplace will become cozy.

How colors affect our daily life

Colors play a big role in our daily life. From birth, we are asked what color we like, and here everyone has their own preferences. Almost all items that are sold are available in different colors. Therefore, for sure, when buying a cup, we will choose our favorite color.

For more serious purchases, options are possible. The main thing here is not to make a mistake. Maybe you love the color orange, but when you buy a car, you realize that you don't want to draw undue attention on the road. Therefore, probably, the choice will fall on a car of a different color.

On the other hand, black or blue cars are hard to see on the road at night. White color is very picky about cleanliness, and you might want something "fun". Such doubts are resolved through much thought and advice from family and friends.

neuropsychological

1 Your favorite color is not suitable for all occasions

Maybe you love purple, but this color can be dreary if you over-decorate your room with it. However, it is a wonderful color in clothing. You can create unusual, unusual combinations, for example, by combining it with orange. But before you get dressed, always think about whether such an outfit is suitable for this particular occasion.

2 Context plays a key role in choosing a color

We know about the meaning of color in different cultures and circumstances. Showing up for a lawyer interview in a bright green sequined suit doesn't make much sense. In other situations, don't be afraid to experiment.

3 The main thing is to be able to combine colors

Imagine that we need to send an important letter or design a poster, and we have taken into account all the elements of color psychology. However, there is another aspect - how will two colors be combined with each other together? For example, brown combined with golden, yellow or orange is associated with autumn. However, in combination with black or gray, it becomes too conservative and unimpressive.

4 Colors should also be functional

When wearing a white shirt, who hasn't thought about how easy it can get dirty with anything during the day? There are colors that are more resistant to dirt, or those that are more appropriate to wear in the heat, or those that will help us to remain unnoticed when we are not in the mood ...

When writing a letter or creating a poster, it is important that the font color stand out against the background color. As much as we would like to write in light pink on white, black on orange shows up much better. Moreover, this is one of the most contrasting combinations.

5 Use colors to

If you're studying for an exam and can't remember, say, a list or checklist, try associating each item with a specific color. Mnemotechnical techniques increase our learning ability. The same method works if you need to make a presentation. Use color to highlight the most important and associate each color with a specific meaning.

6 Be Consistent

If you have your own business or are just thinking about it, think carefully about what message you want to convey to your customers. Once you've completed your analysis, determine what your brand needs to do to achieve those goals. It is important that all divisions of the company act in a single corporate style. Choosing the right designer to develop a brand that can take into account all these aspects can be a key condition for the successful launch or development of a business.

Thank you for reading this article. Do you now think about what colors surround you most in everyday life and why? Do you use advice? As always, we will be grateful for questions and comments on the article.

Translation by Anna Inozemtseva

Hello, dear readers of my blog!

Today, I will tell you about the meaning of flowers in human life. . This is a very interesting topic to think about.

A person's perception of color depends not only on the purity of the hue, saturation, brightness of the color, but also on the individual characteristics of perception, due to the physiological and psychological state of the person, both at the moment and in general. As a result of differences in temperament, well-being, health status, age, national traditions, as well as gender differences, different people give different shades to the same color. Color preferences can tell about the psychological state of a person, about his health, character, habits. The color perception of each person is individual, but it is possible to single out general associations that most people have when they see a particular color. Based on this, you can determine what value this or that color has.

White: symbolizes purity, truth, sincerity, wisdom, purity, divinity, protection, truth Balances all other colors.

Black; A black candle is charged for almost any action. as black color perfectly absorbs any kind of energy.

Silver: Associated with the feminine and childbearing.

Violet; A symbol of triumph, a sign of friendship, greatness, dignity and luxury.

Blue: Symbol of Healing, Tranquility, Forgiveness, Wisdom, Inner Light, Truth, Luck, Protection. Spiritual inspiration.

Green; Symbolizes nature and material gain. Youth, beauty, determination, will. Promotes wealth, fertility and success.

Yellow: Gives a boost of cheerfulness. Gives you confidence in your abilities. Activity and good spirits.

Golden: Attracts victory, strength, masculinity, happiness. Brings good luck and changes in life. Golden candles are best lit on Sunday.

Orange: Symbol of the sun, summer, warmth. The color of strength and power. Tranquility. Fulfillment of desires.

Pink: Honor, glory, honor, friendship. Femininity, softness, attractiveness, affection, harmony. Understanding, education, reconciliation.

Red: Symbol of love, passion, energy, courage, health, physical and spiritual strength.

The meaning of colors is a separate branch in psychology, which has a special impact on human consciousness. Some colors can cause apathy or elation, help you make a choice or demonstrate your own status. Have you ever wondered why so many commercials feature red shades? Or why are the cars of deputies and businessmen all black? Let's see what this or that color means in psychology.

Red color: meaning

This color attracts attention like no other. It is often used in advertising. It doesn't matter that most people associate it with danger and aggression. They even say that if you look at the red color for a long time, a person’s pulse can become more frequent and blood pressure jumps. Psychologists, interpreting the meaning of colors, say that red is preferred by typical leaders who are persistent, stubborn in their aspirations and often cruel. And it is the red dress that is most often worn by a woman who wants to be in the spotlight and flirt with men.

Green color: meaning

Green is a shade of nature. It calms and relaxes, sets in a peaceful mood. In contrast to red, it normalizes blood pressure and is even able to heal ailments. Green lovers are confident people in themselves and in their position in life. They take their work seriously and are always ready to help others. The inner world of such people is very rich, but they are in no hurry to share it with the first person they meet.

Yellow color: meaning

Yellow symbolizes warmth, optimism and the belief that everything will be fine. Text written on a yellow background is the most memorable and is often used by advertisers. But everything is good in moderation, so it is with yellow: in large quantities, it can cause anxiety and overexcitation of the brain. Those who love yellow are almost always in a good mood. These are creative and artistic natures. They have high self-esteem, are critical of themselves, but they also demand a lot from others.

Blue color: meaning

Psychologists assure: if you want to inspire respect and trust of the interlocutor, to win him over, put on clothes of this particular color (for example, for an interview or an important meeting). The meaning of the colors and shades of sky blue is to show your stability and emphasize your high social status. Blue calms, motivates for productive activity. If you look closely, you will notice that the walls of offices and gyms are often painted in this color.

White and black colors: meaning

These colors, opposite in the spectrum, have different meanings in psychology. If white symbolizes purity, fidelity, freedom, then black declares authoritarianism, mystery, and significant social status. White color is often used in medicine and religion. A black car, a man or a woman in a black suit - automatically look successful and significant for society in our eyes. People dressed in white are open to the whole world and devoted to their work. Black lovers - unconsciously fence themselves off from reality and want to attract attention. By the way, those who study the meaning of colors have noticed an interesting nuance: during football matches, it is the teams in black that receive the most warnings from referees, yellow and even red cards. Why do you think?