COLOUR SYNAESTHESIA
Colours are more than just visual experiences – they hold powerful meanings and associations that influence our emotions, behaviour, and even memory. From the vibrant energy of red to the calm trust of blue, every colour carries a psychological impact.
Colours and what they symbolise
● Red – Excitement, strength, love, energy
● Orange – Confidence, success, bravery, sociability
● Yellow – Creativity, happiness, warmth, cheer
● Green – Nature, healing, freshness, quality
● Blue – Trust, peace, loyalty, competence
● Purple – Royalty, luxury, spirituality, ambition
● Pink – Compassion, sincerity, sophistication, sweetness
● Brown – Dependability, ruggedness, trustworthiness, simplicity
● Black – Formality, drama, sophistication, security
● White – Cleanliness, simplicity, innocence, honesty
These associations explain why certain colours are used in branding, fashion, or even daily life choices. For example, hospitals often use green or blue for their calming effect, while red is used in advertisements to grab attention.
What is colour synaesthesia?
Synaesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to an automatic, involuntary experience in another pathway. In simple words, the senses “cross over.”
Colour synaesthesia is a type of synaesthesia in which a non-coloured stimulus, or inducer, consistently and involuntarily causes the perception of colour. Importantly, for synaesthetes, this is not just imagination – it is a real and internal experience.
Possible inducers of colour
Graphemes (letters and numbers): This is the most common form, called grapheme–colour synaesthesia. For example, the letter A may always appear red, while the number 7 is consistently yellow. Each person has unique colour mappings.
Sounds: In chromesthesia (sound-to-colour synaesthesia), hearing music, spoken words, or even a car horn may trigger flashes of colour.
Concepts: Some people associate colours with abstract ideas, such as days of the week, months, or even emotions.
Key Characteristics of Colour Synaesthesia
Involuntary: The colour experience happens automatically without conscious effort.
Consistent: Associations remain stable over time. If the number 4 is blue today, it will be blue even decades later.
Specific: Each colour is precise. A synaesthete may know that B is cobalt blue, not just “any” blue.
Types of experience
Projector Synaesthesia: Colours are perceived as if they are physically projected onto the outside world. For example, the number 4 printed in black may be seen as blue.
Associator Synaesthesia: The person experiences the colour in their “mind’s eye.” They don’t see it externally but internally sense the colour whenever they encounter the inducer.
Why does it happen?
Synaesthesia is not a disease but a difference in brain wiring. It is thought to arise from extra connections between sensory regions of the brain, possibly due to genetic factors. Approximately 4% of the population experiences some form of synaesthesia, with colour synaesthesia being one of the most common.
Many synaesthetes see it as a unique gift because it can:
Aid memory (e.g., remembering spellings and numbers).
Boost creativity (many artists and musicians report having synaesthesia).
Offer a richer sensory world.
Even modern computers are inspired by this phenomenon, using artificial “colour coding” to detect errors or prevent cyber-attacks.
The fascination of colours
Colours influence the way we think, feel, and express ourselves. For synaesthetes, this experience goes beyond symbolism – it is a vivid, lifelong perception that makes their inner world richer and more colourful.
Next time you see a colour, think of its meaning – and imagine how extraordinary it must feel to “see sounds” or “colour numbers” like a synaesthete!
