If You Were a Color, What Would You Be?

Personalities can be as diverse as colors on a color wheel. We all know people who fit the bright, bubbly expression of the color yellow or the calm, welcoming aura of the color blue. I think it's interesting how people associate different colors with various emotions and types of people. 

Color psychology is an entire branch of psychology that looks at how color affects human behavior. It is used by cultures to communicate rank or meaning, by psychologists to study emotion, and by businesses to send specific advertising messages to consumers. I find it fascinating that while color plays a significant role in our experience of life, it is simply a matter of perception. There is no truth of color, it's just how our minds help us process our surroundings.

A video from Read Write Now does a great job explaining the common associations most Western cultures have with different colors. I provided a recap below. 

Black: power, mystery, sophistication, grief, seriousness

White: Softness, innocence, plainness 

Red: love, vitality, passion, anger, danger

Orange: fun, warmth, energy, superficiality

Yellow: happiness, optimism, friendship, impulsiveness

Green: freshness, health, earthliness, greed, jealousy

Blue: safety, calmness, reliability, sadness, coldness 

Purple: luxury, creativity, imagination, impracticality

Pink: sweetness, youthfulness, kindness, frivolousness  

Grey: timelessness, professionalism, indifference

Brown: coziness, ruggedness

What happens when you associate color with people? A few questions come to mind. First, how do you decide what color you "are"? Is it simply a gut feeling? Or do you base it off what color you aesthetically like most? There should be no right or wrong answer considering this is all about perception. Second, do you see yourself as the same color as others see you? For example, one may present themselves as a fun and upbeat orange but feel they are a powerful, mysterious black on the inside. 

I decided to do my own research to see what color the people in my life think they are and what they think I am. This can help discover if there are some colors people associate themselves with more often than others, and if there are major differences in how people perceive me versus how I perceive myself. 

If I was a color, I think I would be light pink. I feel there is a sweetness, silliness, and femininity that goes to the core of who I am. Pink feels good and safe to me. It also happens to be one of my favorite colors, specifically when I was young.

I set out and asked 17 people, "If you were a color, what would you be and why?" Then I asked them to choose a color they think describes me. Here are the responses I received:

Mary associates herself with orange since it feels like sunshine and it's her favorite color. Views me as emerald green.

Coleton feels orange just because. Sees me as pink.

Jensyn said she is dark orange because it's relaxed like the sunset. Sees me as pink or lavender.

Mom feels yellow because she tries to be a ray of sunshine. She associates me with soft pink for my sweetness and pure complexion.

Brookelyn decided on yellow because it's the color of the sun and everything is better when the sun's out. For me, she said lavender because it's both calming and beautiful.

Grandma Rita said she is yellow because it's bright, cheerful, and warm. She views me as blue because it's vibrant and calming. 

Dee Dee responded right away that she is green because she's always on the go.

Brett said he was green because he likes it and mows the grass all the time. 😆

Hope feels like she is emerald, with sapphire as a close second. She thought she'd fit a darker color better because she's not super cheery like warm or bright tones. Emerald resonates with her because it's a tough gemstone but softer and rarer than other gems. She views me as purple.

Heather chose teal to symbolize the higher heart chakra and living out her truth. She thought I fit the color pink.

Dad perceives himself as blue because there are so many beautiful shades and it reminds him of the ocean and sky. For me, he felt I embody a combination of purple, pink, and blue.

Brady decided on blue because it reminds him of being free and having fun. It's also his favorite color.  He thought I fit the color yellow because I am positive and cheerful.

Connor chose dark blue because it's one of his favorite colors, and his other favorite color, red, is too fiery for him. He views me as light purple.

Kathy feels she is a shade of dark blue because it's like a starry night sky. It can be cold to some and comforting to others. She perceives me as lavender or greyish blue because it's calming yet cute. She said I give off chill vibes with kindness and silliness coming through.

 

Lizzie decided on purple because it popped into her head right away. For me, her automatic thought was pink but on second thought more like green. She said this is because sometimes I'm sometimes vibrant and sometimes calming.

Kaley sees herself as purple because it's a stress reliever. She views me as either yellow or pink.

Mackenzie feels she is grey because she matches whatever color of those around her. She associates me with yellow because I can be the brightest part of people's days and have a warm presence.

The most popular response was blue with four people choosing it to describe themselves. Blue is also one of the most universally popular colors around the world. Nobody responded that they felt red, black, white, brown, or pink. Another observation is that my dad and brothers all chose the color blue, and my mom and grandma both chose the color yellow. It could be a coincidence, or there could be a pattern based on family ties! It was also interesting to observe how people selected their colors. Some took their time to think it through and consider different options, and others knew their choice almost as an instinct. I appreciate everyone who participated!

This experiment was also a good opportunity for self-reflection. I enjoyed learning what attributes stand out most about me to others, and it helped me gain a better understanding of myself. I received 6 pinks, 6 lavenders/purples, 3 blues, 3 yellows, and 2 greens. I think these responses align well with how I perceive myself! I really resonated with lavender as a color to describe me as well as my original choice of pink. I see how the kindness and peacefulness of lavender connect to me, too.

Interestingly, I was wearing a bright, tie dye shirt to dance class today, and a woman I had only met once before commented on it. She said, "I like that shirt on you. I feel like it fits your personality." Little did she know my mind has been on color for the past few weeks! I thought it was the perfect end to this study, showing how people's personalities can dip into all sorts of colors. And that the shades and hues we see each day impact both the lives inside our heads and the lives of others.