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How Colors Affect You: What Science Reveals
There’s more to colors than just aesthetics. There’s an actual science behind how colors work on your eyes and your brain. And the secrets that scientists are uncovering offer astounding revelations about how colors influence the way you think, feel, and behave. And what’s truly The way our eyes perceive and our brains interpret reds, greens, blues, blacks, and other colors isn’t a subjective experience, but a hard-wired one. It’s a profound concept - one whose ramifications extend to everything from business and advertising to politics and entertainment.
These lectures will open your eyes to why your favorite products practically jump off the shelf; why certain logos are more memorable than others; why particular scenes in nature evoke peace, joy, or fear; and so much more. Now you can learn how to tap into the power of color to create environments and achieve a range of visual goals in the six lectures of How Colors Affect What Science Reveals, taught by design expert and professor William Lidwell of the University of Houston.
Central to this course is the expanse of information about how colors work on our brains to steer our thoughts and actions. You’ll go behind the scenes and examine the fascinating experiments and case studies that scientists have used to uncover what they know about color. And you’ll finally understand the (often hidden) significance behind the colors of your everyday life.
A must-have course for corporate leaders, design professionals, marketers, and anyone else who communicates visually, How Colors Affect You tells you everything you need to know about the science of color and its impact on all aspects of human experience. These lectures will give you a beautiful new perspective on color - one rooted in credible scientific knowledge and not popular myth.
These lectures will open your eyes to why your favorite products practically jump off the shelf; why certain logos are more memorable than others; why particular scenes in nature evoke peace, joy, or fear; and so much more. Now you can learn how to tap into the power of color to create environments and achieve a range of visual goals in the six lectures of How Colors Affect What Science Reveals, taught by design expert and professor William Lidwell of the University of Houston.
Central to this course is the expanse of information about how colors work on our brains to steer our thoughts and actions. You’ll go behind the scenes and examine the fascinating experiments and case studies that scientists have used to uncover what they know about color. And you’ll finally understand the (often hidden) significance behind the colors of your everyday life.
A must-have course for corporate leaders, design professionals, marketers, and anyone else who communicates visually, How Colors Affect You tells you everything you need to know about the science of color and its impact on all aspects of human experience. These lectures will give you a beautiful new perspective on color - one rooted in credible scientific knowledge and not popular myth.
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Published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 7, 2018
Very short series discussing how colors affect our moods, attitudes, and tendencies with some tips for applying them in real life. I was disappointed to find that he discusses only primary colors but not how colors with opposing effects on us, like red and blue, affect us when merged.
August 14, 2023
A little of what I learned:
� Humans are better at distinguishing between shades of green than any other color. This is probably for evolutionary reasons, so we can see the snake in the grass.
� In all his works, Homer never once mentions the color blue.
� If a culture has two words for color, those words translate to black and white. If a culture has three words for color, those are black, white, and red. Cultures and languages around the world add colors in a specific order.
� Many auto racers and motorcycle racers believe the color green is cursed.
� If you want to look attractive and/or dominate a competition, wear red. If you want to fit in and make friends, wear blue or white.
� Don't wear yellow on a first date. It makes almost everybody look sickly.
Overall, an appealing series of lectures.
� Humans are better at distinguishing between shades of green than any other color. This is probably for evolutionary reasons, so we can see the snake in the grass.
� In all his works, Homer never once mentions the color blue.
� If a culture has two words for color, those words translate to black and white. If a culture has three words for color, those are black, white, and red. Cultures and languages around the world add colors in a specific order.
� Many auto racers and motorcycle racers believe the color green is cursed.
� If you want to look attractive and/or dominate a competition, wear red. If you want to fit in and make friends, wear blue or white.
� Don't wear yellow on a first date. It makes almost everybody look sickly.
Overall, an appealing series of lectures.
March 9, 2024
Interesting gems to takeaway:
When languages are developing, words for colors are invented in the same order every single time: 1) black and white, 2) red, 3) green, 4) yellow, and 5) blue.
After an earthquake in a third world country left over 50,000 people dead, therapists traveled to the region to work with the children. Because of the language barrier, they felt one of the most effective forms of therapy would be art therapy. They began to notice a trend- the kids would only use white and black colors. If any other color was used, it was a minimal use of red. They even colored the sun black. The therapists took away the black crayons and the white paper to try to broaden their spectrum and the children stopped drawing until the black and white options were returned. Over the next five years, as they healed, the children slowly started adding all colors back in until they eventually created pictures true to the world's colors again.
Sports teams wearing black jerseys receive drastically more penalties than other teams. This has been statistically proven repeatedly. They don't know if the teams are playing more aggressively or if it's creating a perception of heightened aggression from the referees. Studies indicate either is possible.
Wearing red causes players to play more aggressively and intimidates the competition. Red does, however, cause mental aptitude test scores to drop.
Men are more attracted to women wearing red as this signifies fertility. Women are more attracted to men in red as it signifies physical dominance. If the room is red during an auction, people will bid more agressively. But if you are selling used cars, you don't want your business to be painted red as it will make people play hardball with you while negotiating. People are less likely to approach someone wearing red, so Salvation Army bellringers beware!
Yellow is a controversial color; it can evoke happiness similar to seeing sunshine and flowers or it can evoke a sensation of wrongness and call to mind sickness and rot. A perfect example, Vincent Van Gogh's painting Wheat Field with Crows evokes a sense of wrongness largely due to the shades of yellow he chose. Another interesting anecdote is that individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts are more likely than nearly any other demographic to use the color yellow in their artwork. Also, sadly enough, Wheat Field with Crows was the last painting Van Gogh completed before he died by suicide. Yellow also grabs the attention more than any other color. Yellow firetrucks are three times more likely to be noticed than red firetrucks.
Green lends to creativity as well as a decrease in anxiety. So if you want to write a book, sit in front of a green wall.
Homer never uses the word "blue" in The Iliad and The Odyssey. In a 2,000+ page exposé on Homer's writing, Gladstone came to the conclusion that Homer was colorblind and could not see blue. People ridiculed this claim, but eventually came around to the idea he was right. Not only has this become the concensus on Homer, but over time people have come to believe ancient cultures were largely color blind. Many old manuscripts never use the word blue... which ties into the earlier statement that blue is always one of the last words to be invented in any language.
I'd rate this a G.
Original review posted 3/9/24.
When languages are developing, words for colors are invented in the same order every single time: 1) black and white, 2) red, 3) green, 4) yellow, and 5) blue.
After an earthquake in a third world country left over 50,000 people dead, therapists traveled to the region to work with the children. Because of the language barrier, they felt one of the most effective forms of therapy would be art therapy. They began to notice a trend- the kids would only use white and black colors. If any other color was used, it was a minimal use of red. They even colored the sun black. The therapists took away the black crayons and the white paper to try to broaden their spectrum and the children stopped drawing until the black and white options were returned. Over the next five years, as they healed, the children slowly started adding all colors back in until they eventually created pictures true to the world's colors again.
Sports teams wearing black jerseys receive drastically more penalties than other teams. This has been statistically proven repeatedly. They don't know if the teams are playing more aggressively or if it's creating a perception of heightened aggression from the referees. Studies indicate either is possible.
Wearing red causes players to play more aggressively and intimidates the competition. Red does, however, cause mental aptitude test scores to drop.
Men are more attracted to women wearing red as this signifies fertility. Women are more attracted to men in red as it signifies physical dominance. If the room is red during an auction, people will bid more agressively. But if you are selling used cars, you don't want your business to be painted red as it will make people play hardball with you while negotiating. People are less likely to approach someone wearing red, so Salvation Army bellringers beware!
Yellow is a controversial color; it can evoke happiness similar to seeing sunshine and flowers or it can evoke a sensation of wrongness and call to mind sickness and rot. A perfect example, Vincent Van Gogh's painting Wheat Field with Crows evokes a sense of wrongness largely due to the shades of yellow he chose. Another interesting anecdote is that individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts are more likely than nearly any other demographic to use the color yellow in their artwork. Also, sadly enough, Wheat Field with Crows was the last painting Van Gogh completed before he died by suicide. Yellow also grabs the attention more than any other color. Yellow firetrucks are three times more likely to be noticed than red firetrucks.
Green lends to creativity as well as a decrease in anxiety. So if you want to write a book, sit in front of a green wall.
Homer never uses the word "blue" in The Iliad and The Odyssey. In a 2,000+ page exposé on Homer's writing, Gladstone came to the conclusion that Homer was colorblind and could not see blue. People ridiculed this claim, but eventually came around to the idea he was right. Not only has this become the concensus on Homer, but over time people have come to believe ancient cultures were largely color blind. Many old manuscripts never use the word blue... which ties into the earlier statement that blue is always one of the last words to be invented in any language.
I'd rate this a G.
Original review posted 3/9/24.
March 7, 2023
Not recommended. There are a handful of mildly interesting anecdotes in here, but most of the research the author describes and the conclusions he reaches feel extremely shaky.
July 5, 2021
This is fascinating! It's the second course I've listened to on the science of colors, but I felt like the information is far more concrete, despite the abstract subject. There are apparently a lot of studies in psychology on the effects of colors upon emotion, and how those effects might vary by context. For instance: black is considered dominant and aggressive, white is more passive or in a competitive context indicates submission ("raising the white flag"). Red increases sexual attractiveness but is also associated with dominance or combativeness. Yellow is the least favorite color of most, meaning alternatively sickliness or joy (as from sunshine). Green stimulates creativity and is a peaceful color, as is blue. The other color book I'd listened to made the point that at least the Ancient Greeks of Homer's day had no word for blue, as indicated by Homer's description of the ocean as "gray" or "wine dark", leading to speculation that the Greeks could not see the color because they had no word for it (which I don't think necessarily follows). Some of the most valuable takeaways here have to do with colors to wear to give a subtle boost to the image one wishes to portray in a given context: dominant, attractive, submissive or team player. Want to encourage people to eat a particular food? Stay away from red, as it signals caution. Encourage appetite instead with white (which seems to symbolize purity), or blue (which symbolizes friendliness or openness.)
September 11, 2019
A fascinating look at what we know about color through the lenses of psychology, sociology, and marketing research.
This is a very short Great Course, only six lectures: overview, black/white, red, yellow, green, blue. Lidwell manages to avoid some of the awkwardness of the format that hampers some of TGC as lecturers struggle with changing camera angles or trying to look natural in fake settings. He plays it to advantage, using graphics that are exaggerated to good effect and not even pretending that the stage from which he lectures is anything but a stage. He also is careful to note the shortcomings and strengths of various studies rather than just presenting them all as equal.
He also debunks common myths once presented as fact such as the alleged effects of "drunk tank pink" and that painting a nursery makes babies cry more. My favorite factoids from the lectures are that colors seem to have entered all major languages in the same sequence (which is the sequence Lidwell orders his lectures) and that people move around different colored rooms in different ways.
This is a very short Great Course, only six lectures: overview, black/white, red, yellow, green, blue. Lidwell manages to avoid some of the awkwardness of the format that hampers some of TGC as lecturers struggle with changing camera angles or trying to look natural in fake settings. He plays it to advantage, using graphics that are exaggerated to good effect and not even pretending that the stage from which he lectures is anything but a stage. He also is careful to note the shortcomings and strengths of various studies rather than just presenting them all as equal.
He also debunks common myths once presented as fact such as the alleged effects of "drunk tank pink" and that painting a nursery makes babies cry more. My favorite factoids from the lectures are that colors seem to have entered all major languages in the same sequence (which is the sequence Lidwell orders his lectures) and that people move around different colored rooms in different ways.
January 16, 2019
This was a very interesting short lecture series from The Great Courses. There are six 30-minute lectures here. It is taken from a very biological and psychological perspective with a plausible-sounding theory of how human perception of color has evolved. The professor goes through various psychological studies with different colors, and he gives some practical take-aways. It was quite fascinating.
August 22, 2021
Some of my favorite lectures from The Great Courses. If you study marketing, characterization, or sales (in any industry) you will find some invaluable information in this series.
March 18, 2024
Three hours of video lessons, which left me wanting more depth.
Typically, The Great Courses series pack their lectures full of insights and material, such that a thirty minute lecture seems to be worth 60-90 minutes worth of notes that you would record in a lecture hall.
However, this course was a bit of a let down. I was expecting something much more rigorous with more information on colour theory and how to utilise such insights within my design process. In fact, this was the first time while watching one of these lecture packs that I kept from taking diligent notes because there wasn’t very much useful information being provided.
I have looked in on William Lidwell’s Universal Principles of Design, which seems promising and far more insightful, thus I hope to finish that title by year end.
Typically, The Great Courses series pack their lectures full of insights and material, such that a thirty minute lecture seems to be worth 60-90 minutes worth of notes that you would record in a lecture hall.
However, this course was a bit of a let down. I was expecting something much more rigorous with more information on colour theory and how to utilise such insights within my design process. In fact, this was the first time while watching one of these lecture packs that I kept from taking diligent notes because there wasn’t very much useful information being provided.
I have looked in on William Lidwell’s Universal Principles of Design, which seems promising and far more insightful, thus I hope to finish that title by year end.
December 3, 2023
This is a six chapter course on black and white, red, yellow, blue and green. Lidwell anchors our reaction to colors in evolutionary history. Thus, we react well to white because we can see; we react negatively to black because dangers could lurk in the darkness. Red signals status and attractiveness and the two are interconnected as red signifies male fitness and female fertility. But red also alerts us to danger (stop signs and such). Yellow has both good and bad significations. The sun’s bounty gives us fruits and grain on the one hand and signifies sickness and weakness on the other. Green represents garden-like food bounty and the forest canopy; blue signifies depression, yet it also is our favorite color.
Color acquisition, Lidwell argues, makes its appearance via an evolutionary sequence: Black and white are the most basic, followed by red, yellow, green and finally blue. Patterns develop in our brains that apparently give us the capacity to appreciate colors so that when we see colors, our brain circuitry is activated and we react accordingly. I didn’t understand Lidwell’s evolutionary sequence theme.
There could very well be an evolutionary origin to our appreciation of colors, but I thought Lidwell’s explanations provided more questions than answers. Regarding one of his main points, he says that the same colors signify both good and bad things. If red stimulates sexual status, why does it also signify restriction or the forbidden (unless there’s a context that sorts out distinctions)? Why does yellow in evolutionary theory connote both bounty and sickness? Also, given that evolution works only at the highest levels, and is driven by individual variability, Lidwell says nothing about variability in our reaction to colors. While blue is the favorite color for most, it also means that colors other than blue are favored by others. Or, some prefer color combinations whereas others like single colors � and isn’t this why we have a variety of paints to choose from?
I didn’t get a sense that Lidwell controlled that much for the impact of culture on color appreciation. He says outright that colors mean different things in different contexts, which suggests variability, not universals. For example, experiences can imprint us on certain colors, that then skew our reactions to them as good or bad. He refers to the racing community’s negative reaction to green because of the early crash of a green-colored race car. Interestingly, his presentation on black and white says nothing about how black people see other black people. According to his theory, they should not like each other that much. Unfortunately, Lidwell implies - he doesn’t say this outright - that prejudice against black people is built into our genes, given that black signifies evil and, its opposite, white signifies something angel-like. Given the history of white colonialism, it could be that for blacks white has become a signifier for evil, which is a cultural, not evolutionary, origin thing.
On the whole, while there is something to be said for what Lidwell puts forward, I’m skeptical that his references to one study after another reveal the full story of what’s going on with colors.
Color acquisition, Lidwell argues, makes its appearance via an evolutionary sequence: Black and white are the most basic, followed by red, yellow, green and finally blue. Patterns develop in our brains that apparently give us the capacity to appreciate colors so that when we see colors, our brain circuitry is activated and we react accordingly. I didn’t understand Lidwell’s evolutionary sequence theme.
There could very well be an evolutionary origin to our appreciation of colors, but I thought Lidwell’s explanations provided more questions than answers. Regarding one of his main points, he says that the same colors signify both good and bad things. If red stimulates sexual status, why does it also signify restriction or the forbidden (unless there’s a context that sorts out distinctions)? Why does yellow in evolutionary theory connote both bounty and sickness? Also, given that evolution works only at the highest levels, and is driven by individual variability, Lidwell says nothing about variability in our reaction to colors. While blue is the favorite color for most, it also means that colors other than blue are favored by others. Or, some prefer color combinations whereas others like single colors � and isn’t this why we have a variety of paints to choose from?
I didn’t get a sense that Lidwell controlled that much for the impact of culture on color appreciation. He says outright that colors mean different things in different contexts, which suggests variability, not universals. For example, experiences can imprint us on certain colors, that then skew our reactions to them as good or bad. He refers to the racing community’s negative reaction to green because of the early crash of a green-colored race car. Interestingly, his presentation on black and white says nothing about how black people see other black people. According to his theory, they should not like each other that much. Unfortunately, Lidwell implies - he doesn’t say this outright - that prejudice against black people is built into our genes, given that black signifies evil and, its opposite, white signifies something angel-like. Given the history of white colonialism, it could be that for blacks white has become a signifier for evil, which is a cultural, not evolutionary, origin thing.
On the whole, while there is something to be said for what Lidwell puts forward, I’m skeptical that his references to one study after another reveal the full story of what’s going on with colors.
December 5, 2021
I decided to listen to this as I had enjoyed reading several years ago. is a little easier to understand as the author breaks in down to the colors of black/white, red, yellow, green, and blue.
June 7, 2021
This was a fascinating topic to learn about, and makes me want to recolor the areas I tend to work.
I do wish there was some information on how these pre-built associations with colors are affected by colorblind people such as myself. The Red being a warning/ danger color for example doesn't really work for me because I can't perceive the color red. Instead I have to look for the shapes (octogon) or positions (bottom of traffic light) of things that are supposed to be red. Any random encounters with red (in clothing, blood not spurting from someone, blushing, leaves, text, etc.) are perceived as a greyish, brownish, or faded-black color.
I do wish there was some information on how these pre-built associations with colors are affected by colorblind people such as myself. The Red being a warning/ danger color for example doesn't really work for me because I can't perceive the color red. Instead I have to look for the shapes (octogon) or positions (bottom of traffic light) of things that are supposed to be red. Any random encounters with red (in clothing, blood not spurting from someone, blushing, leaves, text, etc.) are perceived as a greyish, brownish, or faded-black color.
April 30, 2022
This is some pseudoscience bullshit. Even when he does cite actual, well-known experiments, he summarizes them in misleading ways. But a lot of what he says is just nonsense, using cherry-picked data to support preconceptions and stereotypes (some of which border on racist or sexist � like, why is he weirdly obsessed with “hot or not� studies that rate perceptions of female attractiveness and men’s aggression, dominance and “masculinity�?!)
June 9, 2022
There is a lot of science in this book, but most of the value comes from the interesting issues with color. For example... yellow is a very tricky color to use. I wear a yellow shirt and I think it works for me, but now I am not sure. Apparently it depends on the shade of yellow.
I'd listen to this course again.
I'd listen to this course again.
August 2, 2024
Short but interesting. I learned why baddies wear black, how winners wear red, what to wear at an interview, when humans first perceived Colin’s� and in what order (which is always the same in every civilisation!), how to manipulate customers perceptions through colours in advertising etc. It's a bit lightweight and I’d have liked more, but worth seeking on Audible.
September 8, 2024
Absolutely spellbinding!!
I was so sad to see this course end! I ate it all up in one night.
It was visually appealing, engaging, and highly educational. Everything I look for in a course. It had no trouble keeping my enthralled the entire time. William Lidwell is a genius!
100 percent recommend for a good time! You won't be disappointed!
I was so sad to see this course end! I ate it all up in one night.
It was visually appealing, engaging, and highly educational. Everything I look for in a course. It had no trouble keeping my enthralled the entire time. William Lidwell is a genius!
100 percent recommend for a good time! You won't be disappointed!
January 14, 2019
So, I love the topic, but there's not much new here for folks who've looked into this before. Also, there's some information - particularly about blue - that isn't as flushed out as it should be which leads to some conclusions that are a bit off.
October 2, 2023
I learned a lot about colors and the science behind colors, often validating my own knowledge as an amateur artist. However, this course did not go over what happens when you paint a hospital floor with red streaks.
December 12, 2018
Fascinating. I wish it was longer.
September 8, 2019
Notes in Note
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2021
Super fascinating and after reading this I've been looking at my surroundings more and more. This one definitely warrants many rereads.
August 9, 2021
Learned a lot about color and how it influences system 1 and system 2 in conflicting and complementary ways.
April 18, 2022
Some fascinating research here.
July 29, 2022
An interesting approach understanding the world around. How much do the colours play in our everyday lives? Looking at colours from various angles.
April 22, 2023
Fascinating!
January 25, 2024
7/10: this topic is lowkey my Roman Empire; the science behind colors and color theory is so interesting to me
January 28, 2024
Fascinating read! Despite knowing quite a bit about color theory, I still learned many new things. Lots of interesting studies, etc.
February 2, 2024
Bad pseudoscience. Studies talked about are so full of confounding variables and bias that I found this physically painful to listen to.
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