RESEARCH PROPOSAL
The influence of colors to the people mood
Qendrim Ahmetaj
(Master in Parametric Design: 1st year)
POLIS UNIVERSITY International School of Architecture and Urban development
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The influence of color to the people mood! (Color impact psychology)
ABSTRACT “Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.” -‐ Pablo Picasso We often say that we are in bad mood when we are sad: the colors are actually very closely with our mood. But what is their real effect on our state of mind? While you seeking around, the eye and brain work together to collaborate information. Eyes go to a nearby fruit and decide if you want to eat or not. Looks at the sky and concludes that today will not rain. See the words that I read now and catch their meaning. Do you feel anxious in a yellow room? Does the color blue make you feel calm and relaxed? In fact, this is the influence of colors Aim of study: The aim of this proposal research is to identify how colors affect to the people mood and can colors affect on how people think and act on the office, home, street, club, square, class, even when they sleep? How do colors affect on people purchase and force them to choose any product by the main color? Can shoppers say color is a primary reason why they buy a particular product? Research Question: a. How does color affect on people mood? b. How does colors affect purchases? Introduction: There are conflicting opinions on the impact of color. Of course it is natural to think that there is a connection between color and mood, because we prefer to live in a room with "vibrant color " than between four gray walls! We also know that certain wavelengths of sunlight (colors) exert an influence on our mood. Colors are nothing just a light waves with certain wavelengths: some studies seem to have found a link between color and mood. We must recognize that our perception of color is completely individual. A environment can result relaxing for any person, but stressful for someone else. Therefore it is difficult to generalize the effects of certain wavelengths. Despite the general lack of research in this area, the concept of color psychology has become a hot topic in marketing, art, design, and other areas. Artists and interior designers have long understood how color can dramatically affect moods, feelings, and emotions. It is a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, influence mood, and cause physiological reactions. (Kendra Cherry , How Colors Impact Moods, Feelings, and Behaviors. Avaible at http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/a/colorpsych.htm . Accessed on 02/01/2014, 13:15 pm.)
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Analysis (Theoritical Framework): What Is Color? In 1666, English scientist Sir Isaac Newton discovered that when pure white light passes through a prism, it separates into all of the visible colors. Newton also found that each color is made up of a single wavelength and cannot be separated any further into other colors. Colors on the blue side of the spectrum are known as cool colors and include blue, purple and green. These colors are often described as calm, but can also call to mind feelings of sadness or indifference. While perceptions of color are somewhat subjective, there are some color effects that have universal meaning. Colors in the red area of the color spectrum are known as warm colors and include red, orange and yellow. These warm colors evoke emotions ranging from feelings of warmth and comfort to feelings of anger and hostility. (Elliot, A. J., & Maier, M. A. (2007). Color and psychological functioning. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(5), 250-‐254.) There are many ideas about color psychology in these sources, and they all say that color affects people mood. They differ based on what factors influence the effects of color, such as culture, opinion, and what goes on inside people body. Colors often have different meanings in various cultures. And even in Western societies, the meanings of various colors have changed over the years. Colors attempts to have some psychological effect, ex: Red: While red has proven to be a color of vitality and ambition it has been shown to be associated with anger. Sometimes red can be useful in dispelling negative thoughts, but it can also make one irritable. This color can be used to lessen irritation and aggression as it is connected with feelings of love. Orange: Orange has shown to have only positive affects on your emotional state. This color relieves feelings of self-‐pity, lack of self-‐worth and unwillingness to forgive. Orange opens your emotions and is a terrific antidepressant. Yellow: Similarly to Orange, Yellow is a happy and uplifting color. It can also be associated with intellectual thinking: discernment, memory, clear thinking, decision-‐making and good judgment. Also aiding organization, understanding of different points of view. Yellow builds self confidence and encourages optimism. However, a dull yellow can bring on feelings of fear. Green: Green creates feelings of comfort, laziness, relaxation, calmness. It helps us balance and soothe our emotions. Some attribute this to its connection with nature and our natural feelings of affiliation with the natural world when experiencing the color green. Yet, darker and grayer greens can have the opposite effect. effect on physical and emotional health. Blue: We usually associate the color blue with the night and thus we feel relaxed and calmed. Lighter blues make us feel quite and away from the rush of the day. These colors can be useful in eliminating insomnia. Like yellow, blue inspires mental control, clarity and creativity. However, too much dark blue can be depressing. Purple: Purples have been used in the care of mental of nervous disorders because they have shown to help balance the mind and transform obsessions and fears. Indigo is often associated with the right side of the brain; stimulating intuition and imagination. Brown: Brown is the color of the earth and ultimately home. This color brings feelings of stability and security. Sometimes brown can also be associated with withholding emotion and retreating from the world. Black: While comforting and protective, black is mysterious and associated with silence and sometimes death. Black is passive and can prevent us from growing and changing.
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White: White is the color of ultimate purity. This color brings feelings of peace and comfort while it dispels shock and despair. White can be used to give yourself a feeling of freedom and uncluttered openness. Too much white can give feelings of separation and can be cold and isolation. Gray: Gray is the color of independence and self-‐reliance, although usually thought of as a negative color. It can be the color of evasion and non-‐commitment (since it is neither black nor white.) Gray indicates separation, lack of involvement and ultimately loneliness. According to this, color affects mood based on personal opinions. For example, if a person dislikes the color pink, he may associate pink with hate. Another idea states that color affects mood based on the individual culture. For example, seeing the color blue releases calming chemicals, which in turn makes one calm. Also, because yellow is the hardest color for the eye to focus on, people may become irritated when looking at yellow, and it is a proven fact that babies cry most in yellow nurseries. (Eric, John, & Paraag. (2007). Color psychology. [online]. Avaible at: http://library.thinkquest.org/27066/psychology/nlcolorpsych.html . Accessed on 04/01/2014, 16:10 pm)
1. Schema of “Conceptual frameworks”
When marketing new products it is crucial to consider that consumers place visual appearance and color above other factors such as sound, smell and texture. For example, the white color in the industry was not the prefer one, since the apple design almost all his own products by white color and this day’s most of top branding product have the basic white color. Marketers in general understand the need for consistency in color and design. But it’s also vital to move beyond the standard logo and tagline and take a holistic approach to evoking emotions among potential customers across all of your marketing channels including social media sites. You can use color to your advantage. Some brands become so closely associated with their color schemes that we recognize them even when their company names aren’t visible. (Pam Dyer . The Role of Color in Marketing . Panorama [online]. Avaible at: http://www.pamorama.net/2013/04/21/the-‐role-‐of-‐color-‐in-‐marketing-‐infographics/ Accessed on 03/01/2014, 12:45 am)
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2. This infographic from Logo Company. Source: http://www.pamorama.net/2013/04/21/the-‐role-‐of-‐color-‐ in-‐marketing-‐infographics/
Literature review: Colors may just seem simple and unimportant, but they affect our daily lives more than we may know. If someone is feeling angry, it could just be because they are angry, or it could be perhaps that they are surrounded by or looking at the color red. -‐ According to Johnson (2007), color does affect mood by producing certain chemicals and stimulating different feelings such as hunger. For example, blue can make one feel calm because it releases calming chemicals, and red can make one hungry because it is an appetite stimulant. Yellow can make one feel irritated, and it is a fact that people lose their temper most in yellow rooms. However, pink is tranquilizing and can make one feel weak. In conclusion, Johnson says that depending on the color, one’s body can do things (like producing chemicals) that cause a certain emotional reaction (mad, sad, etc.). -‐ Another idea, by Smith (2007), is that the effect color produces is based on what one’s body does in response. For example, yellow is mentally stimulating, and activates memory, whereas red increases confidence. Also, brown can make a person feel orderly and stable, while a dark blue can make one feel sad. Therefore, Smith says that different colors do in fact change people mood and the consequences can be negative or positive. -‐ Another writer, Wollard, (2000) seems to think that color can affect one’s mood, but the effect also can depend on people culture and what they personal reflection may be. For example, someone from Japan may not associate red with anger, as people from the U.S.
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tend to do. Also, a person who likes the color brown may associate brown with happiness. However, Wollard does think that colors can make everyone feel the same, or close to the same, mood. According to Wollard, pink reduces aggression, which is why the walls of the jail cells in the Seattle prison are pink! -‐ Eric, John, and Paraag’s (2007) main point about color psychology is that color has both a physiological and psychological effect. For example, green makes people feel relaxed because it relaxes their muscles and makes them breathe deeper and more slowly. Furthermore, blue lowers blood pressure, which makes one feel calm. Eric, John, and Paraag conclude that color affects one’s mood because of what it does to the body. -‐Yet another idea, by Airey (2006), is that color is energy, and it can have a physical, mental, spiritual, and/or emotional affect on people. He states that black can make one feel sophisticated and secure, but it can also make one feel depressed. Also brown can make a person feel reliable and serious, while yellow lifts self-‐esteem. Therefore, Airey concludes that different colors can have different kinds of affects on people. Methodology: In order to test ideas about how color affects people mood (color psychology) this researcher will be based on quality information. A good example is a survey made by Mike Brennan & Jan Charbonneau “The Color Purple: The Effect of Questionnaire Color on Mail Survey Response Rates” . 1600 New Zealand residents was randomly selected from the 2005 electoral roll, and randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups for an experiment on incentives. Within each of these four experimental groups, respondents were randomly allocated one of the four versions of the questionnaire (bright red, lime green, turquoise blue, bright purple) . Thus the questionnaire color experiment was balanced across the incentive experiment. The questionnaires were identical except for color, and for the format of a single question near the end of the survey. The result of survey : Effect by Age Group
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Effect by Gender The response rate by gender is shown in Table 3. For both males and females, the color of the questionnaire made a significant difference to the response rate, with purple was the most effective color for both males and females.
Effect by Wave There has been some suggestion that color would be effective because coloured questionnaires would be easier to find among other clutter once put down. This would suggest that the effect of color would be greatest among non-‐respondents sent a reminder, since this reminder is normally a letter, so a respondent has to find the questionnaire sent in an earlier posting in order to respond.
(Mike Brennan & Jan Charbonneau. The Colour Purple: The Effect of Questionnaire Colour on Mail Survey Response Rates, pp. 3-‐7)
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Many companies are doing research on the influences of colors in the industry today. One of them is KissMetrics which has made a research about “how colors do affect purchases”. For retailers, shopping is the art of persuasion. Though there are many factors that influence how and what consumers buy. However, a great deal is decided by visual effect, the strongest and most persuasive being color. When marketing new products it is crucial to consider that consumers place visual appearance and color above other factors such as sound, smell and texture. To learn more about color psychology and how it influences purchases, see the infographic below made by KissMetrics.com
3. Infographic of “ How colors affect purchase” made by KissMetrics. Source: http://blog.kissmetrics.com/color-‐psychology/
For this inphographic you can find a great video presentation for this survey explainin exacaly the whole process of colors affect on your purchase. Video source: http://blog.kissmetrics.com/color-‐psychology-‐video/
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References: Kendra Cherry , How Colors Impact Moods, Feelings, and Behaviors. Avaible at http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/a/colorpsych.htm . Elliot, A. J., & Maier, M. A. (2007). Color and psychological functioning. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(5), 250-‐254. (Eric, John, & Paraag. (2007). Color psychology. [online]. Avaible at: http://library.thinkquest.org/27066/psychology/nlcolorpsych.html ) Pam Dyer . The Role of Color in Marketing . Panorama [online]. Avaible at: http://www.pamorama.net/2013/04/21/the-‐role-‐of-‐color-‐in-‐marketing-‐infographics/ Johnson, D. (2007). Color psychology. 2000–2007 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. Avaible at http://infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html Smith, K. (2007). Color: Meaning, symbolism, & psychology. Avaible at: http://squidoo.com/colorexpert/ Wollard, K. (2000). Orange you glad you’re not blue? Avaible at: http://wf2la6.webfeat.org Airey, D. (2006). How does colour psychology work?, Avaible at: http://www.davidairey.com/how-‐does-‐colour-‐psychology-‐work? KISSMetrics , How do colors affect purchases?. Avaible at http://blog.kissmetrics.com/color-‐psychology/ Mike Brennan & Jan Charbonneau. The Colour Purple: The Effect of Questionnaire Colour on Mail Survey Response Rates, pp. 3-‐7 Bibliography: Freshome Design & Architecture. Room Color and How it Affects Your Mood. Avaible at: http://freshome.com/2007/04/17/room-‐color-‐and-‐how-‐it-‐affects-‐your-‐mood/ Adriana Cuabu. How do colors affect your mood?. Avaible at: http://prezi.com/ootxt-‐6f5-‐ej/how-‐do-‐colors-‐affect-‐your-‐mood/ Mike Brennan, Massey University. The Effect of Questionnaire Colour on Mail Survey Response Rates: Further Data Real Simple. How Color Affects Your Spending. Avaible at: http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/money/color-psychology00100000097166/index.html
Health. Color Can Affect How People Think and Act. Avaible at: http://health.usnews.com/health-‐ news/family-‐health/brain-‐and-‐behavior/articles/2009/02/05/color-‐can-‐affect-‐how-‐people-‐think-‐ and-‐act
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Prishtine February, 2014
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