What your favourite colour really says about you, according to a psychologist
Can a person's favourite colour reveal an insight in their personality?
According to Swiss psychologist Max Lucier, there is a correlation between someone's favourite hue and their character.
As far back as the 1940s, he was formulating a test, based on his theory that if two people share the same favourite colour, they may share personality traits. Now, these qualities have been shared by TikThought in a series of videos on TikTok.
According to one of the clips: 'The famous psychologist Carl Jung once said that colour is the mother tongue of the subconscious. Colours can directly convey our latent emotions in the code of our character.'
However, not everyone agrees with this: a study published in 2021 - titled What Does Your Favourite Colour Say About Your Personality? Not Much - looked into whether there was a connection between the two things.
Following their testing, the authors concluded: 'Favourite colours appear unrelated to personality, failing to support the practical utility of colour-based personality assessment.'
But the theory is still popular among some people, who believe that knowing which hues someone likes means you can gauge what they may be like in terms of character.
Green
According to TikThought: 'Green is the base colour of nature symbolising vitality and hope. It makes people think of lush trees and a peaceful forest.' The video added that those who like green 'usually have a calm and composed personality and firm willpower'. In addition, it claimed, they have strong self control and the ability to withstand pressure.
Fans of green are rational thinkers who are 'not easily swayed when facing things', and who can always maintain a balanced and stable emotional state. People who like the earthy hue are good at planning tasks, and at self-management, always conducting themselves in an orderly manner.
When it comes to social settings, they dislike flaunting themselves, and prefer to be quiet and trustworthy. In a similar vein, they provide people with a feeling of security and stability. They are also patient.
They strongly believe in things they care about and are not easily swayed when it comes to beliefs they hold close to their hearts, which can come across as stubbornness. Green is connected to jealousy in some cultures, and some green personalities may feel possessiveness in close relationships.
'Overall, those who prefer green are like evergreen trees, giving people a sense of steadfastness and reliability,' said the video. 'They balance their lives with reason and perseverance, but they also need to be careful not to be overly stubborn.'
Blue
According to TikThought, blue evokes feelings of peace and reliability, and the majority of blue lovers are calm and steady-tempered, seeking harmony and tranquility within themselves.
They approach situations with their own set of values and beliefs.
People who prefer blue are frequently trustworthy individuals who value honesty and dependability in their interactions with peers.
Because they are always there to listen patiently and provide comfort, friends are willing to confide in them.
They prefer environments that are steady and well-organised, and similarly, everything they do is done in a systematic way.
Such individuals have a deep-seated desire for peace and security: if the world is too chaotic and tense, they will feel uneasy or even in pain.
However, despite all these positive characteristics, blue-lovers can occasionally come out as too traditional, inflexible, and unyielding. They can also appear aloof, uninteresting, or even depressed in social settings.
The video concludes: 'However, overall, those who prefer blue are like a quiet lake, nourishing the people around them with reason and sincerity, making people feel steadfast and trustworthy.'
Purple
People who like purple 'have a rich imagination and delicate emotions', according to the video, which added that they 'often pursue uniqueness, don't follow the beaten path, and are full of love and sensitivity towards art and beauty'.
Reflecting that purple is a blend of red and blue, those who favour the colour are, the video claimed, on the one hand sentimental, sensitive and delicate, and on the other hand, they have passion and fantasy and hope that their lives are full of romantic surprises.
'Such people often have a bit of a poet's temperament and long for unique experiences,' the clip continued. 'They may show outstanding talents in music, art, literature and other aspects'. In addition, they can appear very charming.
However, the purple personality can sometimes seem emotional and unrealistic, with those who love the colour perhaps 'indulging in romantic fantasies and being impatient with the ordinariness of reality'.
They can be immature, and their excessive idealism can mean they are sometimes divorced from reality, as they fall into the dreams they have imagined.
'However, it is precisely this yearning for an ideal realm that makes those who prefer purple romanticists in life,' the video said. 'They believe that life needs a sense of ritual and a touch of fantasy.'
Yellow
'Yellow represents the energy of happiness and an optimistic attitude. People who like yellow often have a childlike innocence and creativity,' according to the video on this hue.
Those who favour the bright tone have 'a rich imagination [...] beautiful expectations and longings for life'.
In addition, their personality is cheerful: people whose top colour is yellow 'love to laugh and have fun, are a bit abstract, and are eager to make friends in social situations', the clip added.
They are described as being like a warm light illuminating the surroundings. And they are not afraid to display their personality and talents, and are very willing to share happiness with others. In fact, they actually want to convey these feelings of happiness to everyone around them.
However, there is a 'shadow side' to people who love yellow, according to the video. and that is being overly optimistic, sometimes ignoring the details and practical problems in life.
'Having a preference for yellow sometimes reveals a sense of dependence,' the video added. 'For example, they long for the attention and care of others when they are in a low mood.'
Pink
According to the video, people who like pink 'often have a childlike innocence in their hearts [...] an easy going and kind personality and are innocent and lovely, giving people an impression of being pure and harmless'.
It added that those who like pink are friendly to others, compassionate and have a natural instinct to take care of others.
Most people who favour the rosy hue 'yearn for pure and beautiful emotions [...] and long for a life full of love and harmony'.
In line with this, they 'often pursue a fairy tale like love'.
In the same way they hope to be treated gently by others, they are willing to treat others with tenderness and kindness.
Those who like pink are described as being delicate, sensitive, vulnerable, and extremely sensitive to the words and deeds of others. As a result, a neglect or criticism may make them feel hurt and sad.
'Sometimes they are prone to immerse themselves in their own fantasy world and escape reality when they are alone,' the video said, adding: 'People with a pink personality are used to filling themselves with beautiful imaginations. They have longings for romantic love and a perfect life in their hearts.'
The downside to this is that excessive idealisation may also lead to disappointment and when reality is not as good as expected, they will feel at a loss.
'It can be said that those who prefer pink are like a crystal ball that needs to be carefully cared for,' the video noted.
'They are crystal clear but fragile, they touch people's hearts with their kindness and simplicity, but they also need to learn to be strong and take good care of their sensitive souls.'
White
'People who like white often pursue pure ideals and perfect results and have an obvious tendency towards perfectionism, whether in life or at work, they are strict with themselves and go all out just to meet the almost demanding standards of perfection in their hearts,' the video said.
It added that people who like the colour have 'a gentle and kind side in their character'.
They are described as being honest and friendly, and they stride to 'establish sincere and simple relationships with people'.
In addition, they don't like grandiosity and complexity - rather, they value sincerity and kindness more, and advocate a simple and plain life. In line with this, they are described as having 'firm principles and a sense of morality in their hearts'.
However, the downside to this is that they can make high demands when it comes to both themselves and others, and will often brood over small mistakes. They fear making these small errors, and so can appear cautious and sensitive when the external environment is not as expected or they are misunderstood by others.
'Those who like white are prone to feelings of loneliness and loss because there is a gap between the whiteness of their inner world and the complexity of reality,' the video noted. 'They need to learn to accept the imperfections of life, understand that occasional dust on the white clothes is also a part of growth.'
Grey
Red
With red being a dazzling and vibrant colour, those who are drawn to it are 'often natural focal points', according to the video.
'They have an outgoing and lively personality, full of confidence, as if they have an inexhaustible supply of energy and are always full of vitality and drive,' it added.
Red personalities usually don't hide their emotions, it continued, claiming that they 'dare to love and hate and act resolutely'.
They are competitive and ambitious, and have a strong enterprising spirit, desire for leadership and fondness for being the centre of attention.
The downside of this can be having a hasty side, and potentially being overly competitive. Those who like red may also have a quick temper and little patience.
'Overall, the hearts of those who prefer red are as hot as fire,' the video concluded. 'They use passion as fuel to drive themselves forward. The colour, a person likes determines the nature of their character.'
People who like grey generally 'don't like to get involved in disputes and tend to view problems from an objective and neutral position'., according to the video.
It continued: 'They are low key and cautious in their dealings with others, don't like extreme emotions, and are even less willing to show a clear stance in social situations.'
Additionally, those who favour the colour were described as 'quiet onlookers', who 'neither stand in the centre of the stage to attract attention, nor pretend to be mysterious to arouse curiosity'.
They were further described as being well educated and polite, making others feel stable and reliable in their company.
However, there are downsides too. According to the video: 'Having an excessive preference for grey may also mean evasion and suppression. Some psychologists point out that people who like grey the most may have a tendency to feel inferior in their hearts [...] in key decisions, they may seem indecisive and lack assertiveness.'
Passively going with the flow, and being reluctant to invest too much emotion means they can avoid risks, but can miss opportunities.
Those who prefer gray are like a quiet cloud,' the clip concluded. 'They neither actively cater to the outside world nor resist it too much. They pursue a peaceful state in their hearts, but they also need to remind themselves to make bold choices occasionally, so that their lives can have more colour.'
Orange
'Most people who like orange have an outgoing personality, are energetic and are sincere and straightforward in treating others,' the video said.
'They are usually people who are emotionally expressive and can't hide things in their hearts. They are not afraid to make new friends or adapt to new environments. Their cheerful and generous personality enables them to quickly integrate into unfamiliar teams.'
In addition, Orange personalities are good at building interpersonal relationships, as they are good at dealing with people. This means that when they attend events like parties, their presence means it is extremely unlikely that there will be an awkward silence. Even when they have their own problems, those who favour orange are always proactive and willing to help others. In a team, they will 'often play the role of a joker'.
However, while they usually have excellent social skills, they may not be good at maintaining long term and deep relationships: while they good at making a wide range of friends, making a relationship deep and stable may be a bit of a challenge for them.'
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