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Discussions Inspired by the Upcoming 2018 Holi Festival

Pic of White Lion from Blog about Color Psychology, Human BehaviorI was just reading about how the Tomatina festival and Holi in India are somewhat similar. The difference is actually hue but largely, there is a penchant for colours that are bright and happy. There is an overdose of reds and yellows. This got me thinking about colour psychology, colour patterns, colors affecting our opinions and how colors say a lot about our personality. I had covered something similar when I blogged about what red says about you as a person and the basics of colour psychology – you can find that discussion here – Colored Discussions. Each of these small discussions is after Googling for more matter on the subject. Did not take the pain of doing a lot of Googling, but did jot down some good references and am sharing my opinion:

Psychology of Color in Human-Machine Relationships, Posted Feb 22, 2018

Discussion inspired by:
https://blog.kissmetrics.com/psychology-of-color-and-conversions/

This discussion from kissmetrics.com was interesting. Firstly, I liked the fact that this resource has the word kiss in it. This does not have any perverted reasons, just that the blog should be about human behavior, driven more by more realistic human interactions rather than the preachy stuff many lifestyle blogs provide. I agree with the basic conclusion here saying that colors do affect our emotions. They do a lot more than help us like or hate someone. How often you ask – all the time, I guess. The brain and eye connectivity have been set-up in such a manner that what is captured in a single blink is processed instantly by the bigger-and-better-than-Google machine called the human mind.


The result is an instant liking for a person or object, driven largely by what we can see upfront. Some folks call it first impressions and am sure these are very real, very humane and happen to all of us. However, this discussion is not about helping you score with the ladies. This is about how the human mindset treats colors and how this can be used to influence online behaviors.

Please understand that I would be writing about bits and pieces I can recall from the discussion rather than merely sharing the lines as my intention here is to provide my opinion. The kissmetrics.com discussion talks about how the biochemistry of the human body and mind can have colour-causing symptoms. From elevated blood pressure to mood suppression or elevation – all of these are real, studied and accounted for as a part of human behavior studies. This story is properly structured to the extent that you can actually understand how some colors can cause more clicks on a particular webpage or URL besides creating buying behaviors or inducing the urge to explore more which, for webstores and online sellers, means more engagement, more chances of earning revenues, and more website traffic.

Advertising folks might not look like psychologists but their understanding of the human behaviour is still impressive. Some brands will say that they need more than second to make an impression, underlining the need for more than a blink and miss campaign. Here, colors can add to the attention span of consumers.

You need to get acquainted with the context here - colour is ubiquitous, but its effects remain undisputed!

Some conclusions drawn here are indisputable—opinions of a customer are driven by many factors, and all of them cannot be controlled. However, talk about the basics. The color alone can induce a sense of likeness. This too is valuable for advertisers. Color psychology is applicable at every level. From leaders to workplace slaves like you and me to coercive managers, gardeners, and chefs. Similarly, consumer behavior trackers use product designs where expectant and unexpected engagement can be created and here, understanding which color is more likely to cause the maximum attention-grabbing effect across the targeted pool is valuable.


Crash Course in Color Psychology

This is now an important part of curriculums that help students learn about how colors affect human behaviour. Color psychology is actually just another type of behavioural psychology and has all the virtues of being a perfect science. As limiting it might seem in terms of spreading its research wings, the fact is that the study of who whites can help people reach a common opinion or research about why blacks are held synonymous with a tendency to be more diplomatic rather than conclusive is rather useful. While fashion sceptics might be somewhat dismissive of the whole script, the fact remains that even their creations and that of their competitors from the world of TV and movies are largely colour driven.

Color studies say one thing rather clearly - physical responses too can be dictated by what colour the antagonist or the sympathizer is wearing.


The Marilyn Monroe dress in white might not have had the same fluttering effect on male throbbers had she worn a bright yellow or burnt orange hue. The topic is very relevant. It has scientific evidence. There are no claims to make here but to track, understand and discuss definite patterns. Color psychology is so invasive that product launching firms and agencies trusted with building a brand reputation will ensure that each landing page, each bit of the website design, from the newsletters to social media posts – all of these are bathed in the most productive shades. The colour scheme in the online world can be very exhaustive, ranging from graphics, infographics, headlines, buttons, borders, etc. One colour scheme can create an instant connection with a spender while some logos will create no recall value!

Psychiatrists will tell you that you should indulge in a colour that makes you feel more energetic, irrespective of its ability to blind other people. You can feel sexually uplifted, more machoistic even if your manhood is shrinking away with the increasing workload at the office. For many folks at the workplace, colors are about creating an image. This means wearing the shades you might have hated some years back. For managers, shades that complement their authority are good. For decision-makers, the layout of their cabin has to be in-sync with their approach. You don't a stickler for rules painting the room pink or your biggest project stakeholder turning up in polka dotted suits where the majority are seated, wearing formal, rather serious dark suits.

Discussion source: Posted February 23, 2018

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/carole-kanchier/what-colour-to-wear_b_1556811.html

I have often turned to Huffingtonpost when it comes to content created by subject experts rather than lame lifestyle bloggers who will use the fanciest words without knowing half the truth. The same applies to this discussion about how colors affect the human mind, how the colors we wear affect our everyday lives – this is not researched, but a dialogue based on simple interpretations!

I agree that some colors are outright warm, they make you feel cosy. Some can make you panic even if for just a second. There is a lot of confusion about what colors are exciting. I find fluorescent shades the most enthusiastic. It is as if they have the term active lifestyle written all over them. Cooler shades that are somewhat passive are about relaxing. Colors that are too dark or dense can make your demeanour look more menacing. It might be hard to judge personality traits by colors alone but yes, some shades will be worn in a very predictable way by the more educated, elite folks while extroverts will always not gravitate towards the ultra-light shades that are too generic and get lost in the background.

Color Communicates Different Meanings: Posted February 24, 2018 


Color can be a big communication tool – I agree. You cannot imagine Modi addressing the masses wearing an all-black ensemble, at least not until he wins the next round of elections that seems somewhat challenged. Some shades are bound to be adopted by a community, particularly in regions where populations are highly polarized, easy to manipulate and religious beliefs run deep, often without logic. This discussion talks about the ability of colors to make you feel happier. This is something I have discussed before.

However, as an anxious soul, I still find it very hard to relate to some shades as being placating, able to pacify an overworked mind. Mental health professionals talk about soothing interiors at the workplace being more harmonious than those painted in ultra-sleek or overtly bright shades. However, I doubt you need to colour coordinate your lifestyle to the extent that your wardrobe choice is also influenced by the interiors of your car, the office cubicle or the colour combinations in your bedroom. You don't need to context your colour choices to such an extent!


Color Psychology Discussions by Surveycrest.com: Posted Feb 26, 2018

Discussion source: 
https://www.surveycrest.com/blog/6-revealing-facts-about-color-psychology/

I have chanced upon surveycrest.com before too. This blog was not as technically detailed but yes, it provided some more perspective. I have already talked a lot about this subject and the blog was never about the emotionlessness that a world without color can spread. This is about the power of colors to influence our inner mindset, our mood, etc. Surveycrest.com says that red is perhaps the most powerful of all shades. Don't know the Physics of this but I don't agree entirely. Yes, red can be stimulating, it can be powerful enough to engage everybody’s attention but it might not be strong – when you connect a shade with strength and vigor, the bright shades of green that indicate fertility and thriving life, seem more relevant.

Red is also somewhat about things that are emergency-driven, often indicating danger. Green does the life-inspiring bit rather well without having any catastrophe aura. Discussions about the logos of FMCG brands is a good example to discuss. While Coca Cola changed horses from black to red, not all consumer-friendly brands go the red way. When of KFC uses red, for me it is about also signifying that the food chain is predominantly meant for meat-eaters. Does not have anything to do with being trendy or powerful or impactful. Red color should not be equated with the desire to want to something obsessively!

Color Psychology & Web Behaviors by Neil Patel | Feb 27, 2018

Original Discussion:
https://neilpatel.com/blog/the-psychology-of-color-how-to-use-colors-to-increase-conversion-rate/

Neil Patel is not your everyday blogger. This guy is more than an expert. His opinion is almost like a dictum. His observations are never wrong. He too covered the emotional connection of colors. The discussion talks about how colors can induce feeling, how are dreams or thoughts are colored, or how differently colored letters or symbols make us react differently. All stories, told via the celluloid or read from a book, are dipped in colors, the unseen type and the more obvious ones. While we have dispersion, distraction, refraction and reflection that make the color be the way it is, the emotional connection is very individual – very different. This discussion is about how colors can induce passion, persuasion, or repulsion. Neil Patel discussions seem to hint that your choice of colors on digital interfaces can induce good or expected browser impressions. Psychology that fuels marketing campaigns can make marketing and website design team quarrel as their expectations and definition of browser behavior can be different, very polarized. For social media influencers, the color palette of their posts, comments or creatives can heavily impact engagement – I seriously vouch for my opinion here. In fact, color of the button on a social page that signifies liking or hating too has varied results, affected by what shade rules the button. Color scheme psychology is too challenging to be wrapped up here…

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