LIFE
The Washtenaw Voice
March 21, 2016
A5
Color psychology: an individual interpretation by JENELLE FRANKLIN
Staff Writer
When humans see color, it causes subconscious effects that differ from person to person, interpreted as Color Psychology. There are colors that may be inferred as calming to some, but aggressive to others; geographical location, personal upbringing, past events and more can all alter an individual’s perception of color. The environment around students, faculty and staff tries to accommodate a large number of merging cultures at Washtenaw Community College. Terry Abrams, a WCC digital media arts and computer sciences instructor, explains the process of reacting to color. “Color is a sensation, and although we experience color physically with our eyes, our brain is processing it like a sensation,” he said. “The way humans respond to color is more like the way humans respond to music, or to taste, or to feel,” Abrams said; people digest color individually and develop their own relationship to each. The University of California Santa Barbara says colors may have many nonverbal associations. People are able to identify some general properties such as describing warm colors as “exciting” and cool colors as “calming,” with neutrals as the best for background color.
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While listening to a series Policy on Access, Success and said Jason Withrow, a WCC the other. Blue is the easier of 30-50 words per color, WCC Equity for Diverse People, media arts faculty member who color to work with, he says, students were asked to select “WCC works to create and teaches web design. “With all because of purple’s varying the color they thought most re- maintain a diverse teaching, the different backgrounds stu- religious connotations. lated to what they heard. They learning, and work environdents have, you’re going to end “It can be very surprischose from: red, orange, yellow, ment that can draw upon up with combinations that can ing that neutral colors you green, blue and purple. the full potential of all indibe off-putting for some people. thought worked well realThis on-campus experi- viduals in order to provide Culture to culture, some col- ly don’t work at all because ment was a test of the Wright the very best edor meanings change they upset someone. (This is theory, formulated by Angela ucational depending because of ) their previousWright in 1984. on ly developed associations,” The theory finds that the Withrow said. “psychological effects of color Color psychology is also are universal,” and are hapseen in how a person presents pening worldwide, yet inthemselves, and how they terpreted individually. are perceived by those “I would choose around them. purple for a preferred Abrams acknowlclassroom color,” edg es conscious said student and and subconscious 18-year-old Chris thoughts when it Civafarani, after comes to personcompleting the al attire choicsix-color exes, along with, periment in the “choosing colors Student Center. based on how we While liswant others to retening only to spond to us.” the words such WCC has hostas: health, hared events in the mony, calmness, past to help stutranquility, which dents with chooswere meant to be asing attire for job sociated with “green,” interviews and career Civafarani selected a fairs. WCC employment purple crayon to signal services said the seminar his perception of the given emphasized dressing well, descriptor words. and while on a budget. Some WCC students re“Dress For Success was ported viewing green, yellow, partly about what color do E ROS and white as calming to them opyou wear if you’re looking for a IE S C H VOI C R AG | WA S H T EN AW and would select a classroom portunities what loca- promotion? If you want to be painted similar to those color for all members of our tion you are geographically.” a leader, wear colors of powpallets. This selection of colors communities.” Blue and purple are sim- er, don’t wear colors that are can be seen throughout cam“We have such a diverse ilar on the color wheel, but passive, like blues and greens. pus and online. student body, I am not sure it according to Withrow, one is Instead, wear colors like red According to WCC is possible to achieve a color significantly harder to incor- and orange – you can go overTrustee policy 8028, the scheme that frankly is neutral,” porate into web design than board though,” Abrams said.
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For example both Abrams and Withrow believe color psychology explains the difference in wearing red jeans around campus and catching much attention, and wearing red jeans in Spain, where the color is a more commonplace sight for fashion. “People usually reflect the culture they are coming from,” Withrow said. Politicians must represent their nation or political party correctly, and in a positive light. Politicians’ color choices can make either a good or bad statement, representing either strength or weakness. “When looking at the political debates and speeches, look at what colors the people are wearing, because they have certain emotional connotations, as well as certain cultural connotations. The colors people wear if they are in-tune with that can be very important,” Abrams said. “Oftentimes you see the president or leader wearing a red necktie. The red symbolizes power,” Abrams said. On the contrary, yellow such as with Hillary Clinton’s recent debate ensemble, was seen by Abrams as a less typical choice for a world leader. As the perceptions and interpretations of color vary from person to person based on current emotion, life events, lighting and individual taste, it is evident that color psychology affects behavior on both a conscious and subconscious level.
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