The Scientific Foundations of Colour Psychology

In the world of colour psychology, it is not only about the emotions that colours evoke, but also about the scientific mechanisms underlying how we perceive and process colour. Chapter 2 of our course delves deeply into the physiological, neurological and psychological processes that form the basis of our colour experience. In this blog we explore the scientific core of colour psychology, and how this knowledge can help us better understand and use colour.

Physiological Basis: How Do We See Colour?

Colour perception begins in the eyes. The retina of our eye contains two types of light-sensitive cells: rods, which are responsible for vision in low light, and cones, which enable us to see colour. The cones are divided into three types, each sensitive to a specific wavelength of light: red, green and blue. These three basic wavelengths form the basis of all colour perception.

When light strikes an object, different surfaces reflect certain wavelengths and absorb others. The wavelengths captured by our eyes send electrical signals to the brain, which interprets these as colour. This is the first step in the process of colour perception, but what happens next is where the magic begins.

Neurological Processing: The Role of the Brain

Once the eyes have transmitted light signals to the brain, the actual interpretation begins. The visual cortex, the part of the brain responsible for processing visual information, converts these signals into what we perceive as colour. But colour is not merely a visual phenomenon. The limbic system, which is involved in our emotions, also plays a role in how colours affect us.