Trefoil News

The Psychology behind Colour and why we should use it.

2017-06-20


We all have a favourite colour or for some of us favourite colours. Colour helps speed up a visual search, allowing us to convey information more quickly. A good example of this is maps, the colours used on maps make it easier for us to differentiate between different roads, railways etc.


Colour helps us to recognise different objects. When we are adults or when we are children, we draw and colour in the objects as how they appear in the physical world making it easier to recognise what is being drawn.


Our eyes naturally are compelled by colour. Colour gives us each a different feeling. According to statistics red is generally associated with danger or bad whereas green is associated as a go ahead and action feeling. In most cases blue is considered a calming and cool colour; that is why you may find websites are mostly blue, as this tends to keep viewers visiting the site for longer and more likely to visit more often.


Colour is used to enhance meaning. When something is connected to bright and high-contrasting colours this usually emphasises its importance. Proof of this can be related to the fact that according to statistics the yellow fluorescent highlighter ink accounts for 85% of all sales also using a bright highlighter when studying can help memorise information more easily. Colour is also used to communicate mood. Research has shown that lighter colours are associated with positive and darker colours with more negative.


Therefore test these theories the next time you choose a colour. Keep in mind the feeling you get when using a particular colour or what you are trying to achieve by using a particular colour.