Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life

Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life (1950) is a book of color theory by renowned color expert Faber Birren. The work explores the impact of color on human behavior and emotions. Born in 1900 in Chicago, Illinois, Birren began studying color and art as a teen at the Art Institute of Chicago. He attended the University of Chicago as an education major but found that his interest was still in the world of color. Since no formal program in color theory existed at the time, he left school to pursue a course of self-managed study, spending hours at the Chicago Public Library. At age 24, Birren began a prolific writing career, publishing dozens of books and articles on color theory over the course of his life. Soon, he began consulting for businesses, claiming he could boost sales with the careful use of color. One of Birren's early successes was a Chicago wholesale meat company. He suggested that the white walls of the meat coolers made the meat appear an unappetizing gray color. He proposed that the meat company paint the coolers in a blue-green color instead, to make the meat's red hue pop. Sales increased, and Birren had proven that paying attention to color theory could reap dividends. Birren brought this expertise to many well-known corporations throughout the middle of the 20th century. Color Psychology and Color Therapy is written in four parts. In part one, Birren discusses color symbolism in varied mystic, occultist, and religious traditions. In part two, Birren takes a scientific approach to color. He explores the electromagnetic spectrum and the effects of certain wavelengths of light and color on plants, animals, and the human body. In part three, Birren turns his attention to the psychological impacts of color on human behavior and emotions. Finally, part four focuses on the visual aspects of color, like the function of the eye and how it perceives different colors. Read more