The Power of Colour and the Mind

'Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways.' Oscar Wilde

Are you getting enough colour? Does it actually make a difference? Colours can have a deep effect on the mind. In fact seeing lots of the colour blue is excellent in the morning because it wakes up the body and gets rid of the feeling of sleepiness. During this period of social distancing and self isolation due to the coronavirus, getting enough colour is surprisingly important. There are many lamps and different light bulbs that omit lots of different shades that can help. In 1666 Sir Isaac Newton discovered that colours have their own properties. When white light passes through a prism, it splits into visible colours. Each colour has its own specific wavelength. Ultraviolet has a low wavelength of between 280-320 billionths of a meter compared with infrared, which has a length of 750-1000. How colours effect the mind can be dependent on one's own personality and experiences. In the West white is associated with purity whilst in the East it represents mourning. Colour effects not only the brain but the entire nervous system. Various experiments have been done to prove the effects of colour on our mind, brain and body. In this blog we will look at the different affects of colours and how they have been used in marketing. For example black is the most popular colour for luxury cars because it symbolises power. Some states within countries have successfully used colour when trying to change social behaviour. Colour has been proven to affect mood and with so many different shades available, it is an easy way to positively change a mindset.

So why the need for blue? Light hits sensitive cells in the back of the eye, known as cones, which sit in the retina. These then send electrochemical signals to the visual cortex within the brain. Here images are formed and understood. However we now know that some retinal ganglion cells send signals to a different part of the brain called the hypothalamus which does not form any visual images. These cells are very sensitive to the short wavelength colours such as blue or green. Exposure to blue and green in the morning leads to the release of the hormone cortisol which is stimulating and suppresses the release of the sleepy hormone melatonin. At night, when it is dark, the opposite occurs resulting in tiredness. There is a condition called SAD, seasonal affective disorder, which adversely affects people's mood in the winter because of a lack of light. This can be treated using various blue/green light bulbs. Colour therefore can affect the mood and alertness of people. Exposure to the colour blue in the morning is important.

 Do colours make a difference? There have been a series of studies and experiments researching the effects of colour on the mind, brain and body. As far back as 1875, a European called Doctor Ponza completed various experiments, one of which showed that an aggressive patient calmed down after an hour having been put in a room with walls painted blue.In 1942 Goldstein found that patients with Parkinsons or who had general brain damage reacted adversely to the colour red, whilst green led to improvements. KW Jacobs and FE Hustmyer showed in 1974 that colours that have long wavelengths, such as red are more stimulating than those with short.Rikard Kuller conducted a study, in 1981 which showed that colour could affect the brainwaves and the heartbeat of men and women.In a further study by Elliot, Maier, Moller, Friedman and Meinhardt students were given different participating cards before an exam, red, green and black. It was found that students presented with a red card performed more than 20% lower than those given the green and black 5).

Research with Alzheimer’s patients showed that colour cues improved memory. Images with colours were better recalled than those of black and white.

Dr Kate Lee conducted an experiment with 150 students. They had to do a series of monotonous computer screen tests. The result of the experiment was that if the students were seeing a background of the colour green, it improved concentration levels 9).Now we know that there is proof that colours affect our mindset let us look at their properties. It will then be possible to chose the colours that will affect your mind.

'A certain blue enters your soul. A certain red has an effect on your blood pressure’ Henri Matisse

 Black absorbs all light in the colour spectrum. It is a colour that symbolises evil, death and morning. Yet this does vary from culture to culture. In Egypt it represents life and rebirth. In Feng Shui it is associated with the water element and evokes power and calm. In clothing, black is the favourite colour for males and females 2).

White symbolises purity or innocence and it evokes youthfulness. It is a bright colour that creates a sense of space. It is clean and fresh although it can appear cold. In Feng Shui it is associated with the element metal 3).

Blue conjures the feeling of calm and peace and is seen to be the colour of reliability.In studies, blue has been shown to lower the pulse rate. However, it is sometimes used to describe sadness, 'I am feeling blue'. It is considered that people work most productively in rooms painted blue. It is also seen as an unappetising colour. People who are looking to lose weight are advised to eat off blue plates. It is also used to treat pain.

Green is another calm colour that helps one to sleep. It balances the body temperature and pulse rate and represents the area in the body associated with speech.

Red is associated with warmth and comfort. It evokes the strong emotions of anger and excitement. It is a powerful, confident colour. Red is used to stimulate the mind and the body.

Yellow is a cheerful, warm colour. It is the most visible colour so perfect for attracting attention. It is tiring to the eye so should not be used as a direct background. Yellow is full of energy and can increase the metabolism. It is thought to stimulate the nerves and purify the body.

Orange is also an energetic colour, made from combining red and yellow. The colour of the sunset, it is warm and vibrant. In the past it was used to heal the lungs. In Feng Shui orange is seen as a ‘yang’ colour, very stimulating. It is seen as the best colour for concentration and productivity 10).

It is interesting that during this phase of cover 19 isolation, pictures of the rainbow are being painted all over the country and stuck on windows as a sign of hope. People do like colour.

'Color is a matter of taste and of sensitivity.' Edouard Manet

 What role do colours play in marketing? Research at the Winnipeg University in Canada showed that people make up their minds within 90 seconds of initial interactions with products or people. 62-90% of these decisions are based on colour. They symbolise different things and affect people’s thinking. Colours influence how customers view the character of the brand. Black represents mystery, strength and luxury and is used in many logos such as Nike, Adidas, Sony and MTV 1). It is the most popular colour for luxury cars. White, on the other hand, symbolises purity and cleanliness and is used by Starbucks, Levis, Gap and Volkswagen to name a few. It promotes a feeling of youth. Brown is associated with reliability and nurturing. Hershey’s, JP Morgan and UPS use the colour in its logo. Red is a bold, attention seeking colour that promotes power and confidence. Coca Cola, Heinz and Budweiser use red in their logos. Blue gives the feeling of stability, dependability and safety. Facebook, IBM and Ford all use blue in their logos. BMW use a mixture of black and blue to symbolise power and reliability. Yellow, the happy, warm, relaxed colour is used in the logos of McDonalds, Subway and Ikea. All these companies use colour to promote and emphasise a message. It is worth remembering that the subconscious mind loves an image, a picture is worth a thousand words.

 'Colors express the main psychic functions of man.' Carl Gustav Jung

 We have seen how colours affect the mind, the brain, the autonomic nervous system and the body. It is clear that marketeers see colour as being an important tool for portraying messages. States and councils have also used colour to change behaviour. The suicide rate along Tokyo’s Yamanote railway line used to be very high. To reduce the rate, blue lights were installed at the end of the platforms. Suicide rates at the stations where blue lights were installed fell by 74%. The same idea has been used on the train platforms at Gatwick airport. In Germany,USA,Switzerland and Poland some police cells are painted a light shade of pink to calm the inmates. In Switzerland 20% of prisons or police stations have at least one pink cell painted Baker-Miller pink, so named because of their study of colour on prisoners.

 'The chakras are very intelligent they are like the software of the whole computer body.’ Dharma Mittra

 How can we use this knowledge of the power of colours to improve wellbeing? In hypnotherapy, one learns about power of the Chakra colours. These are the main energy centres within the body. In the Chakra practice there are 7 coloured wheels which run from the base of the spine to the top of the head. They connect the main body, organs and nerves and affect our emotional, spiritual and physical state. The wheels allow our energy to flow smoothly round the body and prevent any blockage which can cause related weaknesses. Meditating and visualising these centres promotes the free movement.

The first of the seven at the base of the spine is the Root Chakra, red. It affects our vitality, courage and passion.

The second is the Sacral Chakra, orange. It deals with our sexuality, creativity and desire. The female reproductive organs and the lymphatic system are connected with this chakra.

The Solar Plexus Chakra is the colour yellow. It symbolises success and energy. The adrenal glands are associated with the Plexus Chakra.

The fourth is the green Heat Chakra. It represents love, relationships, trust and faithfulness. It is connected with the thymus and lymph glands.

The Throat Chakra is blue. The jaws, teeth, ears and neck are all linked with the colour blue. It deals with the ability to communicate and listen.

The sixth, the Eye Chakra is indigo. It deals with thought, ones personality and the bigger picture.

Finally the Crown Chakra at the top of the head. Connecting the nervous system, the pituitary gland and the brain, the violet colour represents thought and interpretation.

Try visualising these colours from the base of the spine to the top of the head to maintain the flow of energy.

 'The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.’ Marcus Aurelius

 Colours affect the mind, the brain, the autonomic nervous system and therefore the body. It is important to be exposed to a wide range of Chakra colours to improve the energy flow through the body. Carl Jung expressed the affects of colour on psychology 11). He studied the use of colour through the ages and across cultures. Experiments have shown that colour does affect the way we respond to situations. They are therefore used in marketing to influence our thinking and have been successfully employed by the state to influence unwanted behaviour. Age is also a factor in how we respond. The young like bright , standout colours whilst older people prefer more traditional shades 6). Women were asked to rank products incorporating colours such as makeup. They preferred more fancy names like mocha rather than the normal, brown. Describing colours like sky blue rather than just blue can also improve the impact of a product. Men and women appreciate colours differently. Blue is a favourite colour across the genders. Purple is a top colour for women but is not preferred at all by men. Men like shades, so when black is added, whilst women prefer tints, where white is included. Attention to colour is seized subconsciously. The brain is activated when a colour is present before someone actively focuses on it 12). If your mind needs lifting or the body needs an increase in energy, do not forget the role of colours.

 1 Amsteus M, Al-Shaaban S, Wallin E, Sjoqvist S. Colors in marketing: A study of color associations and context (in) dependence <https://ijbssnet.com/journals/Vol_6_No_3_March_2015/4.pdf> . Int J Bus Soc Sci. 2015;6(3):32-45.

2 Bakker I, van der Voordt T, Vink P, de Boon J, Bazley C. Color preferences for different topics in connection to personal characteristics <https://doi.org/10.1002/col.21845> . Color Res Appl. 2015;40(1):62–71. doi:10.1002/col.21845

 3 Easy Feng Shui Tips: Decorate Your House with White <https://www.thespruce.com/tips-to-decorate-your-house-with-white-1274399> . The Spruce. Updated October 3, 2017.

 4 Cohn M, Bromell M. The 50 Most Iconic Brand Logos of All Time <https://www.complex.com/life/2013/03/the-50-most-iconic-brand-logos-of-all-time/> . Complex. Updated March 7, 2013.

5 Elliot AJ, Maier MA, Moller AC, Friedman R, Meinhardt J. Color and psychological functioning: the effect of red on performance attainment. J Exp Psychol Gen. 2007;136(1):154-68. doi: 10.1037/0096-3445.136.1.154

6 Taylor C, Schloss K, Palmer SE, Franklin A. Color preferences in infants and adults are different. Psychon Bull Rev. 2013;20(5):916-22. doi: 10.3758/s13423-013-0411-6

 7 The influence of color on student emotion, heart rate, and performance in learning environments Aseel AL‐Ayash <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorStored=AL-Ayash%2C+Aseel> 

 Robert T. Kane <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorStored=Kane%2C+Robert+T> 

 Dianne Smith <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorStored=Smith%2C+Dianne> 

 Paul Green‐Armytage <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorStored=Green-Armytage%2C+Paul>

 8 The Isolation Effect in Free Recall and Recognition Gerrit van Dam, Joan Peeck, Michèle Brinkerink and Usmar Gorter The American Journal of Psychology Vol. 87, No. 3 (Sep., 1974), pp. 497-504

 9 https://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/seeing-green-boosts-your-concentration-research-shows-20150525-gh8udh.html <https://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/seeing-green-boosts-your-concentration-research-shows-20150525-gh8udh.html>

 10 https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/18/best-color-concentration_n_3949427.htm

 11 Riley, Charles A. "Color Codes: Modern Theories of Color in Philosophy, Painting and Architecture, Literature, Music, and Psychology". Hanover: University Press of New England, 1995

 12 Kawasaki, Masahiro; Yamaguchi, Yoko (2012). "Effects of subjective preference of colors on attention-related occipital theta oscillations". NeuroImage