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Colour Psychology > The Colour Affects
System
Colour Affects presents a radically different approach to the psychology
of colour: a clear, logical system developed in the early 1980s
by colour psychologist Angela Wright. In commercial design it applies
to interiors, product design, web design, uniforms, packaging and
branding.
The system has almost twenty years of successful application behind
it and major corporations attest to its effectiveness, most notably
in sales of their products and reduction of expensive design time.
Individuals claim that it has "changed their lives."
The concept that colour affects mood and influences behaviour has
long been recognised, but little understood. It is a common misconception
that colour psychology is purely subjective, with no objective criteria
for predicting response, possibly because everyone responds instinctively
and each of us has our own favourite colour. In commercial design,
no matter how much time, money and effort are invested in the finest
expertise and technology, when it comes to colour the decisions
are largely made on the basis of rank. Although some people are
generally deemed to have a "good eye", if the Chief Executive
does not like green it would take a brave subordinate to take issue
on such an apparently subjective matter, and insist upon using it.
Without any objective rationale, it is difficult to challenge this.
Another misconception is that, because colour is physically processed
through the eyes, it is a purely visual phenomenon. However, colour
is light and light is the source of life. As Faber Birren, the eminent
American colourist, observed in 1950:
"Its role in all forms of life is too evident to be either
denied or ignored."
Colour is light, and spectral hues are its components, as Sir Isaac
Newton demonstrated when he shone white light through a triangular
prism and the different wavelengths refracted at different angles,
enabling us to see them separately. Scientifically, colour is the
principal cue to composition - i.e. the first thing we register
when assessing anything -and a powerful communication tool; therefore
it is arguably the most critical element of design. Throughout millions
of years of evolution, innately understanding the language of colour
has helped humanity to survive - to recognise poisonous foods, threatening
predators and danger signals of all kinds. In modern times this
primitive instinct is often quite unconscious, but this does not
diminish its power. When light strikes the eye, the different wavelengths
do so in different ways; the eye constantly adjusts and long wave
colours require the most adjustment. In the retina, they are converted
to electrical impulses that pass to the hypothalamus, the part of
the brain that governs our hormones and endocrine system. Thus colour
sets up complex physiological reactions, which in turn evoke a psychological
response. Every living creature on earth responds to the messages
implicit in the play of light and colour. In Europe, when the world
about us turns grey we recognise the onset of winter and instinctively
draw in; large amounts of green in any landscape indicate plenty
of water and therefore little danger of famine, so we are reassured;
we recognise that a creature coloured black and yellow is unlikely
to be friendly.
It is important to recognise that colour symbolism, deriving as
it does from our conscious associations, is a conditioned response
- an entirely different process from colour psychology, which is
what happens on an unconscious level. It is essential to take account
of cultural conditioning, and often the two coincide - but if they
do not, the unconscious response will prevail.
Although the science of psychology is relatively young - little
more than one hundred years old - the study of colour is as old
as time. In the twentieth century, great strides were made in our
understanding of human behaviour, and latterly the links with patterns
of colour have become clear, largely through the work of Angela
Wright when developing the Colour Affects System for the application
of colour psychology. Until this breakthrough, the importance of
specific tones was not recognised. It is not usually part of a psychologist's
remit to study the finer points of colour, and since there are only
eleven basic colour terms in the English language, (the most of
any language) but millions of variations, one vital element was
overlooked. It is not enough to refer to 'blue' or 'red'; these
terms are relatively meaningless in the context of close study.
The precise variation of each colour and the harmonic relationships
are of paramount importance. Why, for example, do two versions of
the same spectral hue - say, royal blue and powder blue - have such
different effects? Why do people respond differently to the same
colour? Crucially for the design industry, are there colours that
have universal appeal? Ms Wright's work went a long way towards
answering these questions and form the basis of the system. (The
answer to the last question is no - but there are universally attractive
colour combinations).
It is now a scientific reality that response to colour can be
objectively anticipated.
The Colour Affects system works on two levels - the psychological
properties of each of the basic hues - red, blue, etc. - and the
difference that tonal variations, and combinations of specific shades,
tones and tints will make in achieving visual harmony and the desired
psychological effect.
Science recognises four psychological primary colours, based on
the way that colour is processed in the eye and the brain - red,
blue, yellow and green. These four colours relate respectively to
the physical, the mental, the emotional and the essential balance
between these three. Beyond that, each of the seven spectral hues
has distinct psychological properties of its own. These simple principles
have long been accepted. However, more recent work demonstrates
that colour perception and colour preference are not a matter of
response to one colour in isolation, but to all the colours presented.
The essence of successful use of colour derives, not from the choice
of any particular hue, but from tonal relationships, and that is
universal. No matter how attractive a particular colour may be (the
world's favourite colour, time and again in research, is blue),
if the tone of it relates inaccurately either to the other tones
present or to the basic message one is trying to convey, its negative
perceptions will emerge, so it must be adjusted. There is no such
thing as a good colour or a bad colour - red, for example, can be
perceived as stimulating and exciting, or as stressful and demanding
- there are only appropriate and inappropriate colour schemes. Disharmony
negates. Colour works in a similar way to music and, as jazz pianist
Thelonius Monk said, "There are no wrong notes".
One of the most important needs for humanity is balance. One example
of the natural restoration of balance occurs in the phenomenon of
after images, when the eye is focused for thirty seconds or so on
a particular colour, and then closed or redirected, the image will
continue in the eye for a few moments in the complementary colour.
The practical value of this is demonstrated in the traditional use
of green in operating theatres - when the surgical team look up
from the inevitable focus on blood red, their eyes will immediately
be rested by the green. The most effective colour schemes are those
that contain a balance of wavelengths.
Aristotle, in linking colours to the four elements - earth, air,
fire and water - also observed the primary importance of blue and
yellow. These two colours represent polarity, the sky and the sun,
night and day, introvert and extrovert, cool and warm, contraction
and expansion. Newton's discovery of the spectrum appeared to replace
Aristotle's theory, which had formed the basis of all colour work
for two thousand years, but in fact it was an extension of it.
When we realise that all people can also be classified broadly
into four categories, application of colour psychology becomes more
manageable and more accurate. Galen defined the four types in terms
of bodily fluids - Melancholic, Sanguine, Choleric and Phlegmatic.
In the twentieth century, Jung defined us in terms of predominant
function - Thought, Feeling, Intuition and Sensation. The essential
polarities of life are also a major feature in Jung's psychology
and the great Swiss doctor, together with other twentieth century
neurologists and psychologists, defined us as being fundamentally
extrovert or introvert, being externally or internally motivated.
The breakthrough in colour psychology came when the links were
recognised between all the sixteen million shades, tones and tints
available to us in a colour computer - classified into four categories
- and the four personality types. Extroverts respond more strongly
to colour in general and longer wavelengths in particular, whilst
introverts prefer cooler, blander tones. There are four tonal families
of colour - cool based and warm based, deriving from blue and yellow
respectively, within which further classification comes from intensity.
Each group contains variations of all spectral hues, so it is not
necessary to draw from more than one group for any colour scheme.
In fact, doing so will negate it. When all the colours used in any
design project belong to the same group, they combine to create
a relationship, which protects the positive perceptions of each
individual hue. Therefore it is essential to establish which colour
group, or psychological colour family, best represents the desired
objectives of the brief. Thus a framework is created within which
designers can work freely, secure in the knowledge that the colour
scheme will fulfil its function.
In Colour Affects' experience, there is rarely a design brief
that does not wish to combine the virtues of modern efficiency and
caring friendliness. Virtually every colour mistake arises from
failure to understand how to encompass both, without mixing the
tonal families. We see cold grey mixed with warm red, warm yellow
with black, 'pharmaceutical' blue (Pantone Blue 072) with light,
friendly red (Pantone Red 032) in the mistaken belief that this
will capture the best of both worlds. Instead, what happens is that
the reds suddenly appear cheap or defiant, the blues convert from
reliable and efficient to cold and hard and the grey depresses everyone.
It is worth repeating that every colour - without exception - has
potentially positive or negative properties inherent in it. Which
of those are communicated depends entirely on how it is used.
The four colour groups, and the predominant characteristics of
each, could loosely be described as follows:
GROUP 1
Clear, delicate warm colours containing no black. Descriptors such
as scarlet, coral, peach, daffodil yellow, emerald green, sky blue,
cobalt and lilac apply. Personal characteristics associated with
this tonal family are light, warm, friendly, new, young, lively,
fresh, clean, and optimistic.
Negatively, they may be perceived as insubstantial, frivolous and
immature.
Famous people whose personalities appear to belong to this type
are: The late Princess Diana, Bill Clinton and Tony Blair.
Examples of this colour group are the corporate colours of British
Petroleum, Virgin and Norwich Union 's new colours.
GROUP 2
These tones are cool, contain more grey and, whilst also delicate,
are not necessarily light. They are soft and subtle and examples
are maroon, rose pink, grapefruit, sage, viridian, dove grey, Air
Force blue, delphinium, lavender. The characteristics are understated
elegance, cool, calm poise, graceful, upmarket, timeless, expensive,
soothing, aspirational.
Negatively they may be interpreted as draining, unfriendly, aloof,
elitist, and 'wishy-washy'.
Famous Group 2 personalities are, or were: H.M. The Queen, Nelson
Mandela and Grace Kelly.
Since these tones are inherently understated and recessive, there
are no striking examples of Group 2 corporate colours in the market
place. They are more effectively used in small boutiques, museums
or government buildings.
GROUP 3
These tones are again warm, but much more intense and fiery. They
contain black in their mixing (e.g. olive green is yellow mixed
with black) but black itself does not belong in this group. Examples
of the colours are described as tomato red, burnt orange, rust,
butter yellow, leaf green, olive, teal blue, peacock, and aubergine.
The characteristics are warm and friendly, traditional, solid, substantial,
reliable, earthy, environmentally aware. They can also express iconoclasm
and a certain flamboyance.
Misused, Group 3 tones can convey heavy, old-fashioned, boring
predictability and bossiness.
Famous Group 3 personalities include: Germaine Greer, Sophia Loren
and Sir David Frost.
Shell International Petroleum, The Body Shop and Mothercare corporate
colours are mainly Group 3.
GROUP 4
These colours are very clear and strong, with no subtleties. The
group includes black, white, crimson, magenta, lemon, jade green,
ice blue, indigo, violet. They communicate characteristics of uncompromising
excellence, material aspiration, efficiency, drama, sophistication,
modernity, and 'high-tech'.
The other side of Group 4 is cold, uncaring, unfriendly, materialist,
and expensive.
Famous Group 4 personalities include: Margaret Thatcher, Sean Connery
and Gordon Brown.
Examples of Group 4 corporate identity are British Airways (apart
from the unfortunate 'tail fin' re-design) National Westminster
Bank and Texaco. It is interesting to note how often the advertising
for these major corporations focuses on dispelling the negative
possibilities of the corporate colours - hence "the world's
favourite airline" and the homespun friendliness of NatWest's
earlier successful 'staff introduction' TV campaign.
To summarise: every person, or entity - such as a piece of packaging,
an interior environment, a corporation or a product - has a personality
that is best expressed, and supported, by a specific palette of
colours. The key to successful use of colour lies in following,
rather than defying, the natural order.
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