Significance of colours on our Psyche

Colours set a mood to an environment, they have emotional and psychological effects on us. There is a huge difference between colour psychology and colour symbolism. Psychology depends on the mind, body and spirit and how it feels with colours, however, symbolism is what we humans associate a colour with for example, colours in country flags, they do not rely on psychology but rather more on symbolism. Moreover, colours could have endless meanings in different cultures. If one culture takes red as a colour of love, another may take it as a colour of good luck and a third culture may take green as the colour of luck. Psychology and symbolism are two different meanings when it comes to colours.

There are four psychological primary colours; red, blue, yellow and green with different emotions. We will share with you what each colour means and maybe it’ll explain why you react or feel the way you do to each colour.

Four psychological primary colours:

Red

It’s a colour that is powerful because it is both the colour of passion and aggression. It evokes strong emotions of love or attention, that is why stop signs and alert lights are usually in red, because it screams “danger” and “pay attention”. However, it is the colour of love, which is why red roses and red dresses are associated with love and passion.

It also is a colour that expands your appetite. For instance, if your plate is red, you’re most likely going to eat more than you usually do. Which is why companies in branding and marketing use the colour red to grab people’s attentions such as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola.

Blue

Blue is the colour that mainly functions on our minds as opposed to physical reactions like red. Blue is a colour that sooths the mind and brings it peace and tranquility. The brain also reacts to blue as being a sign of loyalty, stability, and productivity. Having walls coloured blue for a work space stimulates productivity and makes people calm, but get work done on a faster pace. The shade of blue also has slightly different effect from one another; the darker shades of blue tend to reveal intelligence and lighter blues are linked to creativity.  

Green

When we think of green we usually think of nature. The colour green is the most restful colour to the human eye, that’s why when we think of a vacation for disconnecting with the world, you would probably think of somewhere around trees where you’d also have bad cellular connectivity. The characteristics of green are balance, clarity, health, growth and safety, which is why it reduces anxiety. Though money from different parts of the world have different textures and colours, the colour green is usually associated with money and wealth, probably because of the U.S. dollar.

Yellow

The colour yellow is a cheerful colour, like blue, it also increases a boast in energy. We usually associate the colour yellow with a bright day, a good day, a productive day. It’s a warm colour that gives a feeling of optimism. However, too much yellow can evoke a hostile feeling and can cause our eyes to become fatigue. Studies say that yellow-coloured walls in a baby room makes them cry more than when it’s a tranquil colour such as blue or green.

Psychology and symbolism - Colours of the flag of Qatar:

The Qatari national flag which is also known as “Al Adaam” has two colours separated by nine triangles. The flag underwent few changes with shape and colours over time, but the final colours are maroon and white that hold deep meanings and pride that root back to their history and how Qatar became the nation we know now.

The maroon part of the flag of Qatar was originally red but because of long exposure to the sun, the colour faded and became purplish-red colour or maroon which is the colour they decided on. The dye originates from Bin Ghannam Island near Al Khor. The British proposed the colour red but Qatar declined and opted for maroon instead, due to its deep connection to the country’s culture and heritage. Source: QNL

The psychological characteristics of the colour maroon are confidence, courage, and strength among others characteristics.

As the colour white, psychologically represents peace, it means the same thing for the flag of Qatar. The white end of the flag is where the pole is placed to lift the flag up high.

There are nine triangles that separate the two colours hold historical significance to the nation they represent Qatar being the ninth member of the Trucial Coast Convention of 1916.

What is your favourite colour and why? Let us know in the comments below.

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