Thursday, June 28, 2018

The Smiles

“Colors are the smiles of nature.”  (Leigh Hunt)

There is a reason why people prefer certain colors over others. This preference says volumes about our personalities. Each color has a reaction to our brain when we internalize it. What is it about the rainbow that gives most people a sense of happiness?

Color psychology is a less explored branch of the study of how our brain perceives what it visualizes. Colors impact how our brains are used in decision making. Color is the dissection of light at different wavelengths, which is perceived as a separate color. Color affects our lives without us even realizing it. Animals don’t see the world of color that we have in our heads.

How we feel color varies from person to person. Some colors give us a sense of serenity and calm. These usually lie within the blue side of the spectrum-that consists of purple and green too (known as the cool side). Others induce rage and produce discomfort, or signify passion. These lie within the red spectrum-which includes orange and yellow ( known as the warm side).

Color stimulates our brain. From the ancient times, that has proven to be useful alternative psychotherapy. The Egyptians and Chinese used colors to heal; a process that is known is chromotherapy. Colors were used to in order to help the body function better.

Since every human being has different emotions attached to different colors, the universal significance of colors may or may not work in these cases. Color has power both subconsciously and consciously. Here are six unusual ways in which color can affect all of us:

·        Aggressive and intimidating Certain shades can have a bad influence on our mood. The colors that dominate here are dark ones. Black, navy blue, shades of grey – all of them look authoritative and intimidating. They create the illusion of seriousness and power.

This is why powerful people like wearing dark toned suits. Red provokes aggressiveness. Something in our perception of red makes us go wild. Even though it can be a passionate color, it can also be aggressive and over-confident. For example, people who have red cars love to show off and think they have all the power in the world. Also, they attract a lot of attention, which only adds to this feeling.

·        Confidence Black and red have been voted the most confidence-inspiring colors. Both men and women would prefer wearing black to important interviews. According to them, black is the biggest confidence booster.

When it came specifically to first dates, women said they’d rather wear something red as it inspires passion. When it came to men, whether it was a date or anything else their color preference seemed to be blue or black. And these were the two colors women liked most on men.

·        Buying habits The majority of buys are based on the visual appearance of the product in question. You wouldn’t choose a damaged package over a brand new one in the supermarket would you? Physical appearance plays a big role in the retail industry. Moreover, most of the products are red because red “screams” for attention. A product with a red label or packaging will grab your attention faster than any other product because it invites you to look at it.

This color works best on spontaneous shoppers. Green, on the other hand, is the opposite. It is used in shops in order to relax the buyers. Green is often related to nature and the environment hence the relaxing effect. Because of this relation to nature, many environmental organizations have a green logo like Greenpeace, or the Animal Planet Channel.


·        Eat less What if I told you that the color of the kitchen walls, and plates, can affect your food intake? People who eat from red plates eat less food. Additionally, white plates seem bigger than they actually are. No matter how much food you put on a white plate it will seem like it’s never enough. So, white plates make you eat more. If you want to eat less, try blue plates. Blue can suppress your appetite.

 
·      ·        Healthier food choices   If some food is more colorful and bright, it will stand out in our field of view as  we l put all our attention on it. When it comes to food, colorful means healthy. Just think of fruits and vegetables. Each color has its own benefit. For example, orange foods (oranges, carrots, pumpkin) are rich with antioxidants.

White foods (garlic, mushrooms, potatoes) are extremely good for your health because they have anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, making your plate a rainbow of food colors is essential for your health. Try to include a fruit or a vegetable at least once per day. And more importantly, if you are a parent, include them in your child’s diet as soon as possible.

·       
·      Stay calm   The opposite of aggression is calmness and peacefulness. Unlike the colors in the previous section, there are some that have a soothing effect on us. For example, the color blue. It represents the sky and sea, the elements that make us calm. Most bedrooms are painted blue for that exact reason.

Moreover, a lot of office spaces are also blue because it’s believed that it awakens productivity. Another color with these properties is green. It symbolizes serenity and makes us feel close to nature. Additionally, yellow is thought to be an optimistic color. It can make us happy and stimulate our minds.

“A person who has lots of anger inside definitely loves people more than anyone else can…If red color indicates anger then it indicates love too.” (healthythoughts.in)[i]



[i] Sources used:
·        “6 Unusual Ways in Which Color can Affect our Choices in Life” by Ivan Dimitrijevic
·                “The Psychology and Meaning of Colors” by Color Psychology
 

 

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