Colour affects us physiologically
and psychologically, consciously
and subconsciously. Colour is used
to shape and define our lives, our habits, our values and our feelings. The colours we choose to wear and
to decorate our homes give others personal insight into our emotions
and how we wish to project ourselves
to the world. Colour is a silent language that we all react to based-on our learned responses. Our learned associations are critical contributing factors in the way we perceive and attach meanings to colours.
Cultural Awareness
Colour is subjective. Although we may not all see the same colour, within our own cultural group the emotional response is surprisingly common. Colour is a powerful and important communication tool tied to religious, cultural, political, and social influences. While there are commonalities in the meanings of colours around the world, they may also differ greatly between cultures. It is important to be aware that different cultures attach meaning to colour in different ways. The cultural bias for colour symbolism can be very powerful. In China they use white during funerals as they associate white with winter time in which nature is dead; where-as in Western cultures black is used.
