The Colors In Which We Live

Colors inundate our everyday lives in unimaginable way. Our perceptions are shaped through the hues in which our world is made of. Each variation of a color can change the way we perceive the situation and environment and thus alter our emotional states. Color psychologists study this phenomena in order to help people live a happier and healthier life. For example, people often associate dark blues and greys with rainy weather which many people find themselves feeling tired, sad and lonely during. Whereas yellows and oranges are the colors of the sun and warmth, which  people tend to have positive connotations of. Many of our color associations are based off of our life experiences, often people can assume the meaning of different colors in nature and apply that meaning to emotion.

Our Built Environment

The ideas of color psychology can be translated across many different mediums. One such application is the color schemes used in health care facilities. In Jin Gyu Park’s study of color perception in pediatric patient’s room design, it was found that there are distinct preferences for colors between males and females (Park, 2013).  Males were found to have a preference for cooler colors, green and blue, and females had a stronger preference for warmer colors, red and purple (technically purple is a cool color, but this study classified it as a warm color). This knowledge can be utilized in health care facilities to create the most positive, healing environments possible for their pediatric patients. This can be accomplished by utilizing a variety of these colors into the color schemes of hospital rooms. Green and blue had the highest ratings among both boys and girls, so many health care centers have adopted gender neutral green color schemes. White had the lowest preferences, so white should be used sparingly. You can see these findings at play in most pediatric healthcare facilities, walk into the waiting room and there are colorful designs on the walls and floor and very little white space.  

These ideas can also be applied to homes; Leslie Harrington, the executive director of The Color Association of the United States,  says that colors in the home are not just purely aesthetic but have the ability to alter mood and behavior too.   Neutral color schemes have become more common in the recent years because they tend to give off a sense of calmness and cleanliness. Whereas, bedrooms traditionally have more colorful palettes than the living room and dining room. This can in part be attributed to the idea that the bedroom is a personal space and colors are a way of personal expression. In a traditional home, cool colors (greens, blues, violets) tend to be the most popular in the bedroom because they are associated with calmness and relaxation. With warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) in the living room, kitchen, and dining room being the most popular because they are believed to have an inviting quality that stimulates conversation. People often consider such qualities of the colors they put in their home in order to create the ideal environment for themselves.

Color and Gender

It is hard to distinguish just where gender preferences for color come from, whether there is any biological reasonings that might be linked to the likelihood of males being red-green color and the rare possibility of some females having tetrachromatic vision. Most humans have trichromatic vision, meaning they have three cones for color perception: red, green, and blue. There is not substantial research behind the ideas that color preferences between sexes have any biological standing.  

Therefore, one must assume differences in color preferences between the sexes is due to social constructs. From the moment of birth, babies are often swaddled in blues or pinks, nurseries are painted, and toys are gender specific. Children grow up in a gendered color world, and these schemas often follow them into adulthood. One study, “Children’s Gender and Parents’ Color Preferences” by  Philip Cohen, found that family structures can affect the gendering of colors. It was found that families with only male children had stronger preferences for the traditionally male colors, blues and greens. But the families with both male and female children had less gender constructs surrounding colors because the children’s color worlds were mixed, meaning that the toys were kept together and clothes were passed down from baby to baby regardless of sex. Another interesting finding from this study is that mothers of only boys seem to have stronger preferences for the traditionally female colors, pinks, purples, and reds.

Although steps have been taken to de-gender colors, the color stereotypes still exist. Try finding a pink and purple toy truck for your three year old and you will be disappointed with the options available because toy trunks are traditionally for boys and pink and purple are “girly” colors. It is safe to assume that for the most part color perception, in terms of gender, is built from personal experiences and social influences.  

Our Construed Environment

Color is also built into our worlds through fashion and advertisements. The fashion industry often uses the findings of color psychology to help pick out colors for specific outfits. Designing formal interview attire requires a different color palette than designing sun dresses. The level of formality and what the wearer wants the article of clothing to say is often considered when designing clothes. Each color also possesses certain qualities that elicit certain emotions. A few common examples is that red represents excitement, sexuality, and aggressiveness. Green represents nature, balance, and growth. Yellow for joy. Purple for confidence. The image to the left provides a more complete analysis of common colors.

All the seasons also possess their own color schemes. Spring is full of bright colors and patterns, often flower hued and pastels, matching the fresh blooms. Summer gets even brighter, syncing up with the long days and the warmth. Fall has rich, earth tones that match the changing of the leaves as the days get longer. And winter is for the muted neutrals as everything goes into hibernation to survive the cold. As people dress for the weather they are often also dressing for the colors of their environment.

It all comes full circle back to the environment. Our color perceptions are established by how we view our surroundings and what we are exposed to.

Suggested Reading

Cohen, P. (2003). Children’s Gender and Parents’ Color Preferences. Archives of Sexual XXXXXBehavior, 42, 393-397. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

Freeman, D. (n.d.). Using Color Psychology to Create an Emotionally Healthy Home. Retrieved XXXXXApril 24, 2017

Khouw, N. (n.d.). Gender Differences - The Meaning of Color for Gender. Retrieved April 22, XXXXX2017, from https://www.colormatters.com/color-symbolism/gender-differences

Park, J. G., & Park, C. (2013). Color Perception in Pediatric Patient Room Design: American XXXXXversus Korean Pediatric Patients. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design XXXXXJournal, 6(4), 10-26.