How colour affects us

What is it about colour that so affects us?

When asked what their favourite colour is most people readily respond. Ask which one they like least and you’ll also get a rapid reply.

Whether we realize it or not we form opinions about (and are affected by) colour from an early age.

Research done on early childhood development indicates babies are able to distinguish contrasts and for this reason often show a preference for black and white patterns on their clothes and mobiles. These patterns could also be between other similarly contrasting colours as it is the polarity between the dark and light that initially attracts babies.

As early as the age of four months babies can not only distinguish colours but can develop a particular preference for a certain colour. What this is will be unique to the baby.

As the child grows older, learned response also enters the arena. For instance, a child may feel an affinity towards a certain shade of green but if his or her parent’s preference is for an opposite shade (for example – the parent likes bottle green as opposed to the child’s preference for lime green) then a conflict can occur.

How many children can relate to wearing a school uniform that never felt right because it wasn’t the ‘right’ shade of blue or green?

And what about the folk who have inherited colour blindness? More common in men than women, this genetic imprint allows individuals to see life through a different colour spectrum. For those who are red/green colourblind they see all hues except red and green while blue colour blindness allows individuals to see all colours except blue and yellow. Often the colours that can’t be viewed are perceived as black, white or grey.

And then there is the emotional response to colour. It is not uncommon for people to relate a dislike for a particular colour based on experiencing it in a stressful situation. For example, one gentleman (aged 60 at the time) relayed a strong dislike of purple as a result of seeing his mother laid out in a purple lined coffin when he was only a young age. This image altered his perception of purple from that day forward.