living colourP

HO

TOG

RA

PH

: MA

RT

HA

RO

BE

RT

S. * N

GU

EGU

EN

ET

AL,

LIP

ST

ICK

AN

D T

IPP

ING

BE

HA

VIO

UR

, ‘S

CIE

NC

E D

IREC

T’,

2012

; **

F W

EN

ET

AL,

RE

D IS

RO

MA

NT

IC B

UT

ON

LY F

OR

FE

MIN

INE

FEM

ALE

S, ‘

SA

GE

JOU

RN

ALS

’, 20

14; † A

BE

RT

HO

LD E

T A

L, T

HE

E

FFEC

T O

F R

ED

CO

LOR

ON

PE

RC

EIV

ED

SE

LF-A

TT

RA

CT

IVE

NES

S, ‘

EUR

OP

EA

N J

OU

RN

AL

OF

SO

CIA

L P

SYC

HO

LOG

Y’,

2017

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 8 PSYCHOLOGIES MAGAZINE 19

New series

Each month, Martha Roberts, creator of The Colour File, investigates how colour makes us think, act and feel

● This month’s colour challenge is to wear various shades of red as much as you can, to see if this energises or enervates you.● Wear red in several guises – scarves, nail polish, block colour, even shoes, if you are feeling daring. Notice how doing this makes you feel, and how other people react to you.● Read more about my red colour journey on the Psychologies website, psychologies.co.uk. For additional reading on The Colour File, you can visit thecolourfi le.com; @the_colour_fi le

Your colour challenge

Red has always been an important colour for humans, from

the moment we painted our caves, and ourselves, with it to protect us in the afterlife. It’s the colour of love, good fortune and status, and, after black and white, it’s the fi rst shade babies see – it’s apparently also the fi rst colour people su� ering from temporary colour blindness start to see again after a brain injury.

Queen of HeartsThe psychology of red research shows that men feel more attracted towards women in red – in one study*, not only did the men fl irt more with waitresses in red, but they also gave them 26 per cent bigger tips than those in other colours. Red also makes people

perceive us as warm and confi dent** but, more importantly, it can make us feel good about ourselves, too. In fact, a recent study† revealed that people wearing red feel more attractive and positive about themselves than in any other colour.

Colour psychologist Karen Haller says: ‘Red can help us to feel more awake, motivated and energised, as well as sexy and sassy.’ However, red in the wrong situation may be negative. ‘We might come across as aggressive, angry and confrontational, especially if wearing too much or the wrong tone for our personality type,’ she says. ‘We may feel invigorated and powerful, but it could leave others feeling overwhelmed, and they might fi nd themselves going into a fi ght-or-fl ight response.’ karenhaller.com

Seeing red

PSY_FEB_Martha's colour file.indd 19 05/12/2017 08:51