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The relationship between color and mood
The relationship between color and mood
The relationship between color and mood
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We are visual creatures. Colors are a ubiquitous part of our lives and every visual stimulus contains color information. Our moods, thoughts, and behaviors are subliminally influenced by what we see and the array of colors that make up what surround us. We are able to detect 16.7 million different colors (Barker, E., 2004). We use color to know when to stop and go, which fruits and vegetables to buy, and what clothes to wear when going to a sports game. These daily practices create preconceived associations with colors. For example, yellow is sunny and happy, blue is sad, red is angry, etc. Yet, in what context do these correlations change, and how does color affect us on a subliminal level? Does yellow signify happiness because one grew up to believe it does, or does it, in fact, make one feel happier? It is certain that color, one way or another, affects us.
Some researchers hypothesize that each color triggers certain hormones eliciting different responses. Biologically, we (with the exception of those who are colorblind) perceive color the same. However, it
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One is the learned association between colors and particular meaning. The other is an evolutionarily ingrained response to particular colors in certain situations. Research indicates that animals use color as an indicator for certain situations (Elliot, 2007). Thus, if humans respond in a similar fashion, then it would be assumed that the color associations that persist are due to biological tendencies. Furthermore, I predict that colors have different associations with thoughts and behaviors when in different contexts. Many times in movies, villains are dressed in green. In a grocery store, however, green may signify healthiness and vegetation. Furthermore, a color has a very different implication in a situation dealing with emotions than in a situation concerning daily
Throughout society today, colorism and racism play a huge role in many lives. Though the similarities between the two may confused individuals, there happens to be a difference between colorism and racism. Racism is the belief that all members of each race processes certain characteristics or abilities specific to that race. Gloria Yamato says, “Racism is persuasive to the point that we take most of its manifestations for granted believing, “That’s Life” (Yamato 65). Racism can vary seeing as though you could be a specific type of racist. The four different types of racism that exist today are the “aware/blatant, the aware/covert, the unaware/unintentional, and lastly the unaware/self-righteous” (Yamato 66). Colorism is prejudice and discrimination against individuals with a darker skin tone. Colorism typically happens between individuals of the same ethnic and racial groups. In society today, colorism exists due to the accumulated experiences of racism, “which can generate questions and doubts in the minds of people of color about their place in a predominately white society” (Osajima141).
It all comes down to the mechanics of our senses and nature of our awareness. The self and the mind constitute a superposition of possibilities. The mind has many instruments with which to perceive, interact with, and interpret the world. The profound potential of these instruments are often exceeded by their limitations. The capacity of these instruments, and accuracy with which they interpret the world, to the mind, depend on the cognitive development and mindfulness of the individual; as well as that which is being observed. This constant input of data, happens at a conscious and subconscious level. This information informs emotions, behaviors, and world views. This system is analogous to a computer with many peripherals; necessarily limited, but sufficient to solve the average problem. Like the computer, our peripherals are governed by software; the sophistication of which, would appear to have many iterations, if observed at different points in history. Furthermore, this range of sophistication can also be observed within the lifetime of the individual. It is the neural sophistication of the human brain, which allows for, and institutes, the compartmentalization of this cavalcade of information, to help the individual navigate this reality. The brain both instructs and learns from its instruments. Our eyes distinguish light, determine depth, and assign color to the world. Our sense of smell allows for us to further identify and associate with our world. Ad to these, our hearing and sense of touch, and what we have is an experience; an ongoing image of
Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is story about Hestor Prynne, a woman who commits a sin and is filled with many feelings, including pride, surrounding that sin. Many of those around Hestor's sin reflect similar emotions and feelings. Hawthorne employs many symbols throughout The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne uses the colors red, black, and white to represent Hestor's emotions and the emotions of those around her.
By comparing the way that color is better at getting us to encode and retain data that is given in this manner compared to that of plain black and white which the standard individual has learned to skim over. Depending on the time that an event, unique situation or important occurrence happens, a series of strong emotions can cause a specific impact upon the memory that is to be recalled, for some this is called a flashbulb memory. (Bower, 1981) Although there have been several other studies that have tried to explain the way that color has an affective reaction and there has been a limited amount of investigation into the idea. A very few have related that either saturation of color or brightness have had any type of positive response with in the study of color psychology. So it may be that within the specific area of hue that we find that we may find a pattern of how the context of given data is processed will cause a production of patterns of behavior not yet seen within the former studies done. We may be able to use the encoding qualities of color and the affective reaction to further influence memory, for we know that the way that different persons see an event at the same time is each seen within a different way and maybe the way to get them on the right track is to give them a
Several psychological studies conclude that the mind has adapted universal reactions to colors. While these responses are subjective depending on the region, there are general responses that exist in relation to the human population as a whole. According to journalist Sarah Marinos, color psychology professor Jill Morton’s global studies have reported that when surveyed on the significance of specific colors “black was linked to bad luck and mourning” (70). Black now encompasses strong “association(s) with impurity” (Sherman and Clore 1020). Many have come to see black as a sign of moral pollution, “not because immoral things tend to be black, but because immorality” (Sherman & Clore 1020) contaminates much like dirtiness might taint a clean mind. Prejudice against the color black has established not only its negative connotation in language, but a deep resentment within America’s roots linked to its progression into a cultural identity. Though there appear to be no longer a “scientific justification for racial classification” (Banton 1111), there is an obvious “dualism in language” (Wilson 112) which links the color with its “cultural representations” (Wilson 112), i.e. Blacks, or African Americans. It has arrived to the point that the “achromatic hue[s]” (Wilson 113) has become defined “solely from the viewpoint of heritage” (Wilson 113). As
Colorism is prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group. In other words, colorism is the saying that one sade of the same race is better than a different shade of that race. Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior. Colorism is hatred with your own race, and racism is hatred towards another group. Colorism can be considered racism though, because even though
He suggests that when analyzing colors and their role in brain processes, we are misinterpreting the way it should be understood. When we speak about these sensations that are synonymous with the brain processes, it should be said as “There is something going on which is like what is going on when ____,” (149). In the case of seeing red as mentioned before, the statement would appear as “There is something going on which is like what is going on when I have my eyes open, am awake, and there is an emission of red cast from an object, that is, when I really see red." Ultimately, I do not believe this response is an adequate answer to the objection. It appears that Smart is merely altering the linguistic nature of the question rather than providing a solution to the problem. This “something” neutralizes the difference between a brain process and a sensation without giving a sound reason as to why or how they would be considered identical rather than
will happen. They say that after happiness is sadness, but after the rain there’s a rainbow right? How
Buswell, T. 2013. Restaurant Colors: Triggering Appetite With the Use of Colors. SendMeTheManager, [blog] 21st Jan, Available at: http://www.sendmethemanager.com/blog/bid/199532/Restaurant-Colors-Triggering-Appetite-With-the-Use-of-Colors [Accessed: 15 Dec 2013].
According to Elizabeth Walling (January 8, 2011), colors can be used to influence emotions and the feelings around us. That’s why something so simple like the color of a room affects people in several ways including the way they feel. The color red may trigger passionate feelings of anger of exposed to the color in a long period of time. The color green may calms others as it reminds them of nature. In conclusion, Elizabeth Walling says that it impacts our lives whether if it's a negative or a positive result.
…“for instance, differences between colors or tastes. If we have a universal understanding of a concept like sweetness, it is not because this is an innate idea, but because we are all exposed to sweet tastes at an early age” (SparkNotes Editors, n.d.)
There is an abundance of ways light and color can play tricks with how your body thinks. Color has an impact on everything. When you walk into a restaurant and instantly become hungry is one way that color has an influence. When you feel antsy in one room and calm in the other is another way that color has an effect, this is all because of the atmosphere of that room, which is altered by color.
Light is what lets you experience colour. The pigment of the retina in your eyes is sensitive to different lengths of light waves which allows you to see different colours. The wavelengths of light that humans can see are called the visible colour spectrum.
Now that we have established color as a storytelling tool, we can begin to talk about color for aesthetic reasons. The following information on color palettes comes from the article How To Use Color In Film: 50+ Examples of Movie Color Palettes by Mary Risk. Color palettes are the major colors used in a film. There are five main color palettes; monochromatic, complementary, analogous, triadic, and discordant. Also, although these color palettes are used mainly for aesthetic purposes, that does not mean that there are no psychological elements.
Color is perceived by the human eye and brain together by translating light into color. Light receptors within the eye transmit messages to the brain, which produces the familiar sensations of color. The retinas in the eyes have receptors for color called cones, iris color is actually the result of the amount or density of pigment cells in the iris. Pigment cells, called melanocytes, produce the pigment known as melanin. The amount and density of the melanin determines what colors of light are absorbed and what is reflected. In retrospect, the higher the concentration of melanin in the iris, the darker the iris color.