Black is neither a chromatic nor a spectral shade. It has been proven to have an effect on people. The color black in psychology usually does not have a strong negative connotation. On the one hand, strength and rigidity are associated with this shade, on the other – the desire for loneliness and isolation.
Black is a symbol of perseverance
The meaning of black color in psychology
What does black mean in psychology? It is a symbol:
- rigidly defending one’s own opinion;
- refusal;
- perseverance.
According to some experts, there is a particularly negative meaning of the color black in psychology - aggression, protest, the desire to fight with the whole world.
Note! Black, like white, has almost no interaction with emotions. To a greater extent, there is a connection with the psychological state of a person.
If we talk about the psychology of color, then the black color symbolizes sadness, melancholy, and blues. It can also mean that a person likes to be in a depressed, depressed state.
Men
In the perception of this color, stereotypes created thanks to literature and cinema largely play a role: both antagonists and mysterious, mysterious characters dressed in black.
If an adult man prefers a black shade, this does not always mean that he is withdrawn and depressed. To a greater extent, this indicates that a person is focused not on external processes, but on internal ones.
People dress in black when they do not want to stand out and try to protect themselves from communication. Also, love for this shade is characteristic of anxious and suspicious natures. In this way, the man tries to drown out his anxiety - a black suit is rarely rejected by society.
There is another interpretation: black color is very practical and versatile. It suits many people. Today it has become a symbol of success - a black suit is a must in the wardrobe of businessmen and politicians.
Women
Woman in black dress
If a woman loves the black shade, this may mean that she strives for dominance in the relationship. She also subconsciously wants to protect herself from possible contacts. At the same time, this is a woman’s signal about her “specialness”, about her desire for respect and acceptance by society.
Such a person can be very emotional and ambitious. He sets clear goals for himself and tries to achieve them. Also, a tendency towards this color can mean suspiciousness and anxiety. A woman can be very sensitive and easily excitable. She often sets herself impossible tasks, then suffers from guilt.
Other interpretation options:
- Black color helps to visually correct figure imperfections. Therefore, it is often preferred by women prone to weight gain. They are nervous and shy at the same time. They try to extinguish their emotions in public, but when alone they give vent to tears or anger;
- Coco Chanel once said that every woman should have a little black dress in her wardrobe. Therefore, the tendency to demonize this shade is no longer relevant. Successful, confident women dress in black.
Children and teenagers
Goth Teen
Children's colors are green, orange, pink and blue. Until the age of 10, they rarely prefer a black shade.
At the same time, small children can take black paint for their drawings. If the child is not yet 3 years old, there is no need to worry - he may choose a “dark” shade just because it contrasts with the white paper.
At 3 years old, the child faces the second crisis in his life (the first was at birth). Typical manifestations are denial, stubbornness, sometimes whims and aggression. The key word for this period is “I myself.”
If children 4-6 years old draw with black paint, this may indicate their anxiety. In 80% of cases, conflicts occur in the families of such children.
A possible reason why a teenager chooses this color is the desire to tell the world that childhood is a thing of the past and he has matured.
After 12 years, a crisis period begins in a child’s life. Against the background of hormonal changes, a change in consciousness occurs. A person gradually leaves parental care, listens to his peers to a greater extent, and changes his idols. The search for one’s own “I” begins. The teenager's character becomes rough and sometimes withdrawn. There is a desire to contradict, to oppose oneself to the world.
If a person dresses in black for a long time, this may signal that he belongs to a certain youth subculture:
- Emo (an emotional attitude towards death, non-acceptance of oneself is promoted). In susceptible adolescents, suicidal thoughts may arise against this background;
- Goths (a depressive attitude towards life, indifference, indifference to everything is promoted). Teenagers tend to listen to heavy music and visit cemeteries at night.
Important! In 20-30% of cases, a teenager who chooses black clothes has an eating disorder. This may be a sign of developing anorexia.
Yellow
It is not known exactly where the name yellow came from, but it is believed that it comes from the word “amarus”, which means “bitter” in Latin. The relationship between taste and color may seem quite strange, but there is some common sense in it, since it is a kind of reference to the bitter taste of bile.
In addition, according to one version, the word “yellow” has a common root with the words “gold”, “green”, “ash”. No one would have guessed that green, gold and yellow colors are related. It is bright, sunny and radiant. Yellow is the brightest shade of the spectrum.
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Who likes this color
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It is believed that depressed people who are constantly in a depressed, depressed state may like this shade. This is not entirely true. Successful entrepreneurs and representatives of show business dress in black.
The cassock of Orthodox and Catholic priests is black. In the recent past, schoolgirls wore uniforms of this color. Before the revolution, governesses and teachers dressed in black.
A person can give preference to this shade without experiencing any negative emotions. Sometimes his choice indicates a desire to focus on creativity or self-realization.
Black is a rich, rich color. It is associated with mystery and mystery. It is no coincidence that black and white films arouse more interest among the viewer than bright color films.
Green
The origin of the name green in different languages has a similar explanation. The word from which the name of the color green comes means “to grow.” In Latin viridem means green, the name has also been adopted in Romanian, Spanish and Italian.
In the ancient Saxon language, the word grene meant both color and young, immature things. This is where the name green comes from. Its name is also associated with the ancient “zel”. In the Old Russian language this word meant young grass, greenery.
For many peoples, it symbolizes fun, hope and youth. However, among the meanings it can also mean some immaturity.
Features of use in interior and clothing
Green color in psychology - what it means in life, who likes it
Room in black
Color is actively used in the interior of a living space. It allows the room to look more voluminous and rich. A combination of black and white is allowed in the kitchen, notes of gray are allowed in the bedroom.
Having made a choice in favor of this color, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:
- The dark should be visible from the light space, and vice versa. In this case, the creation of a heavy, gloomy atmosphere is eliminated. This room looks very stylish and impressive;
- You can soften the presence of this color using the effect of warmth. It is recommended to adjust the lighting. The light should be soft, flowing;
- A good completion of the composition of any room is fittings made of black metal. There should also be some neat details in the room;
- It is recommended to paint completely black only “special” rooms, for example, a bar;
- To paint the walls in the bedroom or living room, you should choose deep and complex, but warm tones. The structure should be matte.
Black
In Latin, the word for black had the meaning of something dense, strong and thick. Thanks to this, it is much easier to understand the origin of the name, which in Latin sounds like appectorare. This means "compression". Over time, it became stricter, and then gradually acquired its current form.
The word black denotes a dark color, which comes from nigrum. In other languages it has acquired similar forms, in particular, negro (Spanish), nero (Italian), noir (French), negro (Romanian).
In English, the word "black" means darkness. The original word was blakkaz (from Proto-Germanic). A little later it became blaec (in Old English) and then took the form we know today.
How does it affect people's psyche?
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Man in a black suit
An interesting experiment was recently conducted. It was established that the thesis about “black and white logic” is not just a cliche and not just a common expression.
The floor in the judges' quarters was painted austere black. The judge, who had previously been known to be meticulous, impartial and fair, was inclined to convict.
The experiment was repeated again. This time the process took place in a room with a white floor. After considering the case, the judge pronounced an acquittal.
Therefore, psychologists have concluded: the color black really has a strong effect on the human psyche.
This shade has long been associated with darkness and gloom. The expression “seeing the world in black and white” is widely known. However, society associates a black limousine with luxury and glitz. In the middle of the 20th century, it was proven that the “color of evil” is not black, but brown - it was this shade that was chosen by the SS stormtroopers.
Attitudes towards blacks have softened. According to a number of psychologists, this is the color of extraordinary, organized people. Therefore, it is often used in the interior of large companies.
Absorbing the entire color spectrum, black includes all the healing qualities of other shades. It is not recommended to abuse it - it helps to lower your mood.
You should be wary if a person has suddenly changed his habits. It is recommended to take a closer look at his behavior and, if necessary, seek help from a qualified psychologist-psychotherapist.
But colors and shades also have a story
History of color
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) The first to create a harmonious color system was the genius of the Renaissance - Leonardo da Vinci. He found that the variety of colors discovered by the ancient Greeks and Romans could be limited. He wrote: “There are 6 simple colors: white, yellow, green, blue, red and black.” Leonardo da Vinci also identified two possible aspects of colors: artistic and physical.
Isaac Newton (1643-1727) A century and a half later, 23-year-old Isaac Newton, using a solar prism and glass, reversed the solar color and obtained a rainbow (spectrum). He considered the primary colors to be blue, yellow and red, from which the rest of the intermediate colors are obtained.
Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1749-1832) In 1810, a huge Work on the Nature of Color, occupying 1,400 pages, was published. Its author was Johann Wolfgang Goethe. That’s right, the well-known German poet spoke about this like this: “I don’t attach any importance to everything that I have achieved as a poet...”. He valued his theory of color more highly than Hetz or Iphigenia. Of particular interest is the “part about the effects of colors on vision and mind.”
Goethe considered the phenomenon of flowers comprehensively: taking into account its physiological and psychological aspects. He discovered the phenomenon of contrast: if we look at the light, we get a dark copy of the object and vice versa, if we look from the darkness at a consecrated object, the color of the object is also visible. The effect of combining colors with each other, when some of them enhance each other, while others mute.
Nowadays, Goethe's book is in many ways outdated, but its part devoted to the interpretation of flowers, their symbolic, mythological and psychological content has not lost its significance.
Colors surround us everywhere: be it the blue of a clear sky or the black of a car. Words that define this or that color shade have long come into use. Red, white, blue, green, orange, purple - words that are familiar. Everyone knows what these words mean, but few can say they are familiar with their origins.
White color.
White color is recognized as the most ancient. The word denoting it has the Indo-European root “bra” or “bre” meaning “to shine, shine, shine.” And, indeed, the color white is often associated with the concept of “light.” For many peoples, snow-white shades symbolize light, purity, and innocence.
Black color.
Black color, oddly enough, is associated with the sea. This word comes from the Old Russian Pont, Ponti Sea. The Pontic Sea is the ancient name of the Black Sea. So, our ancestors determined the color by the appearance of the body of water, which often seemed dark and gloomy. By the way, the word “black” is also connected with the ancient Iranian “dark”.
Red color.
The word “red” is common Slavic in origin. It is derived from the word “beauty” and was initially used as “good, beautiful.” It was only after the 16th century that “red” came to symbolize the brightest color in the color spectrum. The color red has many shades.
Crimson color.
The crimson color or crimson is associated with the Old Russian “bagyar”, meaning “red paint, red color”. There are 3 versions regarding the history of the word “crimson”. One version suggests that the word has the prefix “ba” and the root of “to burn,” meaning the color red is associated with flame. The second hypothesis connects the word “bagyar” with the ancient word “bagno”, which means “mud, swamp”. Do not be surprised. The water in swampy areas is dirty red, rusty in color, so ancient people associated the color red with a swamp. The third assumption is based on the borrowing of the word “bagyar” from the eastern part of the Mediterranean. From there they brought red dye, which gave the name to the crimson color.
Red color.
This is what our ancestors called the color red. “Chervonny” and “chervlyony” have a common root with the verb “cherviti”, meaning “to paint red.” In turn, “cherviti” is based on the word “worm”. The fact is that red paint used to be obtained from a special type of worm.
Scarlet color.
The word "scarlet" is of Turkic origin. It meant bright red, light pink color. Some linguists associate “scarlet” with the Arabic word “alaw” - “flame”, as well as with the Georgian “ali”.
Pink color.
The word “pink” has Polish-Ukrainian roots (“rozheviy”, “roz†owy”). It comes from the name of the corresponding flower “rose”
Green color.
“Green” is related to the ancient “zel” (“green”). In the Old Russian language, the noun “zel” functioned in the meaning of “greens, grass, young winter.” The familiar words “cereal, potion, ash, golden, yellow” have the same root.
Yellow.
As already mentioned, the word “yellow” has a common root with the words “green”, “gold”, “ash”. No one would have guessed that gold, green and yellow colors are “relatives”.
Orange color.
The word "orange" comes to us from the French language. The borrowed “orange” was supplemented by the suffix -ev- on the Russian platform. “Orange” translated means orange, that is, the color orange is “the color of an orange.”
Blue.
The origin of the word “blue” is rather vague. The color blue is considered to be derived from the word “dove”. The color of these birds was given an exact name - “blue”. It turns out that blue was previously positioned as gray, not light blue. The shade of blue was clarified only in the 18th century; before that, no one could say exactly what it was.
Blue color.
“Blue” is related to the word “to shine,” so the original meaning is “sparkling, shining.” Researchers have encountered the word “blue” in the meaning of “black”, “dark”. Remember the expression “blue-black”? The blue color has acquired a modern meaning under the influence of the sea sparkling under the rays of the sun and the color of the sky with the sun shining on it.
Purple.
The word "purple" has a long history. It came to us in the 18th century from the Polish language (fioletowy). The word “violet” came to Poland from German (violet). The German version migrated from the French language, and the French "violet" goes back to the Latin word "viola", which means "violet-colored, violet."
This is how the names of the colors came about. All of them arose on the basis of objects and phenomena that gravitate toward these colors. Thus, white color is associated with shine and light, “black” - with the dark sea, “red” - with beauty, green and yellow colors - with grass, greenery, “orange” - with the color of orange, blue shades - with the color of pigeons, “blue” is associated with radiance, violet with the color of violet.
Blue
The color blue comes from the Persian term for the gemstone lapis lazuli. The origin of the blue color is quite vague. Many consider it to be derived from the word "dove". It was for the coloring of these birds that the meaning was chosen. Alternatively, it may be derived from the word "deep".
The name “blue” is also associated with the word “to shine,” which is why its original meaning was “shining, sparkling.” The color blue acquired its modern meaning under the influence of the color of the sky with the bright sun and sea.
