The meaning of colours

The Meaning of Colours

Men more attracted to women in red

A new study suggests that men are more physically attracted to a woman if she wears red clothes. The report from New York’s University of Rochester conducted different experiments to find out the effects of colour on human relationships. Researchers asked more than 100 men to give a score to photographs of women. The men had to rate the women according to how pretty they were, how much the men would like to kiss them, their intelligence and how kind they looked. They also had to provide details of what kind of date they would like to take the women on. The results showed that that the women in the pictures who wore red scored higher and were more likely to be taken on an expensive date. The data showed the colour red made no impact on the scores for intelligence and kindness.

The research was carried out by psychology professor Andrew Elliot and his team. He said: “It's fascinating to find that something as [ever-present] as color can be having an effect on our behavior without our awareness.” This is one of the first scientific studies to look at the effects of colour on human behaviour. For most of us, however, it will come as no surprise that red is the colour of love and passion. Look no further than red roses on Valentine’s Day and the popularity of deep red lipsticks. Elliot says men may be genetically programmed to be attracted to females wearing red. He said certain apes also display such behaviour. Women in the study did not rate the pictured females as prettier, neither did they have the chance to rate men wearing different colours.

1. What's your favorite colour?
   1. Has your favorite colour changed as you've grown older?
2. Do you have a colour that you hate?
   1. If so, what is it?
   2. Why do you hate it?
3. Do you think colours affect your mood?
4. Do you think different cultures have different meanings for colours?
   1. What do the different colours mean in your culture?
5. Do you associate any colours with specific items, numbers, or letters not usually associated with colour?
6. Can you think of different idioms or expressions involving colour?
   1. What's a "black and white" matter.
   2. What does it mean to "see red"?
   3. What does it mean to "feel blue"?
   4. What does it mean to "be yellow"?
   5. What is “pink eye”?
   6. What's a "black tie affair"?
   7. What does it mean to be "blacklisted"?
   8. What does it mean to be "the black sheep in the family"?
7. How many colours are in the rainbow? What are they?
8. Do the colours in our national flag symbolize anything?
9. What's the best colour for a car?
10. Do you know anyone who is colour blind?
    1. What colours do most colour blind people not see?
11. Do you think animals can see colour?
12. Do you dream in colour?
13. How would you compare the feeling you get watching a movie in black and white to watching it in colour?
14. What would you think of life without colors?
    1. What do you think life would be like without colors?
    2. How would life change?
    3. What things wouldn't change?

WHITE / RED/ YELLOW/ ORANGE/ GREEN/ BLUE/ PINK/ BROWN/ BLACK

1. Look at the descriptions below and match them to the colour you think is being described.

• Colour A symbolizes energy, passion, strength, courage, physical activity, creativity,warmth, and security. It is also associated with aggression. In healing, use red to bring warmth and burn out disease. It is a powerful colour and should be used in moderation. It signifies materialism, materialistic ambition, a focus on sensual pleasures and a quick temper

• Colour B symbolizes the individual's relationship to the external world, the needs and wants of the physical body and the ways in which these are satisfied, the world of work. In healing it may increase immunity and sexual energy. It signifies thoughtfulness and creativity.

• Colour C symbolizes intellect, creativity, happiness and the power of persuasion. It is also associated with cowardice. In healing use it to promote clarity of thought. In some cultures it is the colour for weddings. It keeps evil away. This colour signifies intellectual development, for either material or spiritual ends.

• Colour D symbolizes money, luck, prosperity, vitality and fertility. It is also associated with envy. It is the colour of healing; it is beneficial in all healing situations. It signifies balance and peace

• Colour E is the colour of spirituality, intuition, inspiration and inner peace. It is also associated with sadness and depression. In healing it is used for cooling and calming, both physically and mentally. It indicates serenity, contentment and spiritual development.

• Colour F is associated with truth, purity, tranquillity, cleansing, healing and protection. It is a good general healing colour for the removal of pain and suffering. In some cultures it is associated with death and rebirth.

• Colour G represents unconditional love, love requiring nothing in return. It is also the colour of friendship and conviviality

• Colour H is the colour of the earth and represents practicality, material success, concentration and study. It indicates "down to earth-ness" and common sense.

• Colour I is the absence of colour. It represents the unconscious and mystery. Its visualization can help promote deep meditation