The psychology of colours

Colours are more than meets the eye. There are a lot of psychological implications behind colours and they can have an impact on human behaviour as well as our moods. It is the first thing we see and our brain associates different colours to different things/feelings and it's truly marvellous. 

Colours are far more complex and nuanced than the days of "pink is for girls; blue is for boys" days of our childhood. In fact, marketers, interior designers, and artists alike make the most of colour association to evoke emotions among their audiences and use it as a means to communicate in a non-verbal way. 

Red is arguably the most eye-catching of the primary colours and is capable of evoking really intense and strong moods and emotions. Associated with love, passion, strength, danger, and anger red can have a strong impact on the human mind. It is used to help patients release anger and negative thoughts in colour therapy. It is a bold colour that can help us boost our confidence. It is also known to energise, inspire, and motivate so it is often a go-to choice for politicians and other influential individuals in small doses. It also happens to be the most used colour by marketers for its ability to grasp people's attention. 

While red can excite us, blue has the exact opposite effect: it calms us down. Ever wonder why shades of blue are so popular among hotels, hospitals, and airlines? Blue represents peace and serenity. It reduces anxiety and fear and induces calmness, which positively impacts our pulse rates. It is also associated with trust, honesty, and reliability which is why it is a safe choice for businesses in order to build customer loyalty. It is also a good pick for attires in interviews and business meetings. 

Green is a colour of contradictory natures: on one hand it represents harmony, stability, nature, growth, wealth, and prestige. On the other hand, it can lead to feelings of envy, greed, jealousy, and selfishness. Quite literally like money, no wonder it's green. However, the positives do outweigh the negatives and green can make you look confident and sure of yourself so it is a good fit for dates and idea pitches.

Happy, fun, and oozing optimism yellow is the epitome of positivity. Apart from that, it appeals to the logical side of the brain and inspires creativity and productivity which is why most post-it notes are yellow. However, despite its uplifting nature, yellow also represents impatience and spontaneity which may always not be perceived in the right way. In addition to that, it may be a little too much to the eyes and can cause strain. 

Purple is the colour of kings and queens: quite literally as per all historical recollection, it is the colour of royalty. It represents wealth, authority, creativity, and imagination. Lighter tones can have a calming effect while the deeper hues get creative and create excitement, making it a good substitute for both red and blue. It is also a colour that takes a lot of confidence to pull off so you will most definitely turn heads wherever you go and get a lot of plaudits.