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Researchers agree that colours greatly influence the human psychic. Consequently, the colour scheme that you use on your web site can entice the visitor to engage in the goal of your site (i.e. make a purchase or request your services) or leave it after the first few seconds. It is human nature to yield to the concept "the first impression counts".

Even if they are not aware of it, your visitors will be greatly influenced in their decision to keep browsing your site or to leave it because of the poor choosing of colours and other visual displayed elements. On a psychological level, they will respond to the stimuli offered by the web site.

When viewing a web page, people will get excited, happy or bored. All this depends on the colour selection. You need to be aware of the audience to which you're addressing and make the right choices. Colour is a great means of communication, and it is best to make sure that you are saying the right thing.

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Because light has a frequency, it can be assumed that light of different colours have different frequencies. When a human is exposed to a particular colour light, his or her emotions or bodily functions will be affected in some way. For example, it has been found that when exposed to prolonged red light, a person’s blood pressure will rise, and the opposite will happen when exposed to a prolonged blue light.

Colour Psychology - The Psychological Effects of Colour

While perceptions of colour are somewhat subjective, there are some colour effects that have universal meaning. Colours in the red area of the color spectrum are known as warm colours and include red, orange and yellow. These warm colours evoke emotions ranging from feelings of warmth and comfort to feelings of anger and hostility.

Colours on the blue side of the spectrum are known as cool colours and include blue, purple and green. These colours are often described as calm, but can also call to mind feelings of sadness or indifference.

Colour Psychology as Therapy

Several ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and Chinese, practiced chromotherapy, or using colours to heal. Chromotherapy is sometimes referred to as light therapy and is still used today as a holistic or alternative treatment. In this treatment:

Red was used to stimulate the body and mind and to increase circulation.

Yellow was thought to stimulate the nerves and purify the body. Orange was used to heal the lungs and to increase energy levels.

Blue was believed to soothe illnesses and treat pain.

Indigo shades were thought to alleviate skin problems.3

China: Good luck, celebration, summoning Cherokees: Success, triumph India: Purity South Africa: Color of mourning Russia: Bolsheviks and Communism Eastern: Worn by brides Western: Excitement, danger, love,

passion, stop, Christmas (with green)4

YELLOWYELLOW– uplifting, cleansing, self respect, self YELLOW– uplifting, cleansing, self respect, self confidence, self control, contentment, mentally confidence, self control, contentment, mentally stimulatingstimulating

While in the West yellow is considered to be a cheery sunny colour, it is While in the West yellow is considered to be a cheery sunny colour, it is associated with death in some Asian culturesassociated with death in some Asian cultures

In 16th century Spain yellow became known as a colour of heresy and In 16th century Spain yellow became known as a colour of heresy and treason. The punishment for wearing yellow was burning alive.treason. The punishment for wearing yellow was burning alive.

The first flowers to bloom in spring are often yellow – daffodil, crocus, The first flowers to bloom in spring are often yellow – daffodil, crocus, primrose, forsythiaprimrose, forsythia

In nature yellow means "warning." Poisonous creatures are often In nature yellow means "warning." Poisonous creatures are often coloured yellow.coloured yellow.

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Blue is a globally accepted "safe" colour. It can be used for almost any kind of website, no matter its audience, location or goal. It would be therefore safe to say that blue is an international colour.

Blue is described as a favorite colour by many people and is the color most preferred by men.

Blue calls to mind feelings of calmness or serenity. It is often described as peaceful, tranquil, secure, and orderly.

Blue can also create feelings of sadness or aloofness. Blue is often used to decorate offices because research has shown that people are more

productive in blue rooms.

Blue is one of the most popular colours, but it is one of the least appetizing. Some weight loss plans even recommend eating your food off of a blue plate. Blue rarely occurs naturally in food aside from blueberries and some plums. Also, humans are geared to avoid foods that are poisonous and blue colouring in food is often a sign of spoilage or poison.

Blue can also lower the pulse rate and body temperature.

Consider how blue is used in language: blue moon, blue Monday, blue blood, the blues, and blue ribbon.

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The colours red and blue have more going for them than their looks; they could affect how focused or creative you are.

That's according to a new colour association study published in Science Express, the advance online edition of the journal Science.

Here are the key findings: The colour red makes people more detail-oriented, the colour blue boosts creativity.

Ravi Mehta, MBA, and Rui (Juliet) Zhu, PhD, of the Sauder School of Business at Canada's University of British Columbia, conducted six color studies comparing the effects of the colours red and blue.

In each study, undergraduates, none of whom was colour blind, conducted different tasks, including memorizing words shown on a computer screen with a blue or red screen saver, designing a child's toy from blue or red objects, and copy editing an address list.

Red for Focus, Blue for Creativity In each study, the students were more focused when their tasks had a "red" element and more creative

when they were in "blue" mode. For instance, when their screen saver was red, they were more accurate on the memory test and they

were better copy editors. They also designed more practical toys from the red objects. That may be because red is a signal to pay attention and be cautious, such as in stop signs, Mehta and Zhu note.

For creativity, blue was the way to go. The students created more original, if not terribly practical, toys from the blue objects. And they were better at coming up with creative but not impossible uses for a brick -- such as using it as a scratching post for animals -- when they were in blue screen saver mode.

Mehta and Zui conclude that certain colours might be better suited to different tasks. "If the task requires people's vigilant attention (e.g., memorizing important information or

understanding the side effects of a new drug), then red ... might be particularly appropriate," the researchers write.

"However," Mehta and Zui continue, "if the task calls for creativity and imagination (e.g., designing an art shop, or a new product idea brainstorming session), then blue ... would be more beneficial."

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=974919

Clear Skies Counselling

Ness Churn

I am a qualified and experienced counsellor offering counselling for stress, anxiety, depression, bereavement and relationship issues. 

My summer house counselling room is situated in peaceful surroundings at Oaklands, Welwyn, close to Woolmer Green, Knebworth and Welwyn Garden City.

Clear Skies Counselling

Ness Churn

I am a qualified and experienced counsellor offering counselling for stress, anxiety, depression, bereavement and relationship issues.

My summer house counselling room is situated in peaceful surroundings at Oaklands, Welwyn, close to Woolmer Green, Knebworth and Welwyn Garden City.

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It is necessary to be mindful of the fact that 1 in 20 of the population experience some form of colour vision deficiency. To see how differently colours can look, try this website – http://www.vischeck.com/vischeck/You can run vischeck on your own image files or web page to simulate how they look to someone who is colour blind.

Thanks to:

http://webdesign.about.com/od/color/a/bl_colorculture.htm

http://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/ColourBreathing.pdf

http://www.colorthesecretinfluence.com/colorfactsmyths.html

http://psychology.about.com/sitesearch.htm?terms=colour&SUName=psychology&TopNode=99

http://www.holisticonline.com/Color/color_home.htm

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=97491

http://www.graphic-design.com/Web/web_color.html 11