The application of the studies on light and color for the wellness of human beings is relatively recent. For decades, the design field’s primary concern has been to ensure an optimal level of illuminance for workers, passers-by, or tourists, paying attention, where possible, to energy saving. This fact is even odder when we consider that light and color have been studied since the fifth century AD. Even if the emotional impact of light and color on emotions has never been a mystery, the studies on their interaction with the human circadian rhythms found no relevant, productive application since the early 90s. This is another reason to emphasize the differences between physiology and psychology when humans interact with light and color. The relationship between these stimuli and human physiology has been carefully investigated. As a result, many discoveries have been made, like the existence of specific structures in the retina called ipRGCs (Intrinsecaly Photoreceptive Retinal Ganglion Cells) have been identified, containing a photosensitive protein called melanopsin, capable of carrying out the phenomenon of phototransduction (such as the other photoreceptors, cones and rods). The difference is that the electrical impulse created by these cells follows a different path from that of vision and is conveyed through the retina-hypothalamus tract, where it will affect the pineal gland by suppressing melatonin. This hormone is essential in the regulation of the human circadian cycle. These notions highlight a fundamental aspect: the influence of light and color on human physiology does not follow the exact mechanisms of the one of vision. Instead, and as far as we know, the emotional reaction results from the brain elaboration after a lighting stimulus is conveyed through the visual system channels. This difference is also evident in human sensitivity to the different wavelengths of light (various colors). For example, in the spectral sensitivity curve (which colors we see better), the maximum response coincides with 555 nm (yellow-green). In contrast, in the sensitivity curve concerning the circadian cycle, i.e. which wavelength affects the most, the maximum sensitivity corresponds to 460 nm (blue). In a nutshell, the differences between these two mechanisms are reflected in human beings’ perception of color. For example, it is not uncommon for an individual to associate the term “activating” with warm and bright colors such as yellow and red, while, physiologically speaking, activating colors are at the opposite end of the spectrum (blue). The doubt arising from these observations is that a complex system like the one of human perception does not possess some form of convergence between these two mechanisms. In this paper, we will discuss the early stages of research that aims to understand if it’s possible to find a proportion between the emotions and moods aroused by colors and their influence on our physiology

Do color and light affect physiology and psychology in proportional ways?

A. Siniscalco;M. Rossi
2022-01-01

Abstract

The application of the studies on light and color for the wellness of human beings is relatively recent. For decades, the design field’s primary concern has been to ensure an optimal level of illuminance for workers, passers-by, or tourists, paying attention, where possible, to energy saving. This fact is even odder when we consider that light and color have been studied since the fifth century AD. Even if the emotional impact of light and color on emotions has never been a mystery, the studies on their interaction with the human circadian rhythms found no relevant, productive application since the early 90s. This is another reason to emphasize the differences between physiology and psychology when humans interact with light and color. The relationship between these stimuli and human physiology has been carefully investigated. As a result, many discoveries have been made, like the existence of specific structures in the retina called ipRGCs (Intrinsecaly Photoreceptive Retinal Ganglion Cells) have been identified, containing a photosensitive protein called melanopsin, capable of carrying out the phenomenon of phototransduction (such as the other photoreceptors, cones and rods). The difference is that the electrical impulse created by these cells follows a different path from that of vision and is conveyed through the retina-hypothalamus tract, where it will affect the pineal gland by suppressing melatonin. This hormone is essential in the regulation of the human circadian cycle. These notions highlight a fundamental aspect: the influence of light and color on human physiology does not follow the exact mechanisms of the one of vision. Instead, and as far as we know, the emotional reaction results from the brain elaboration after a lighting stimulus is conveyed through the visual system channels. This difference is also evident in human sensitivity to the different wavelengths of light (various colors). For example, in the spectral sensitivity curve (which colors we see better), the maximum response coincides with 555 nm (yellow-green). In contrast, in the sensitivity curve concerning the circadian cycle, i.e. which wavelength affects the most, the maximum sensitivity corresponds to 460 nm (blue). In a nutshell, the differences between these two mechanisms are reflected in human beings’ perception of color. For example, it is not uncommon for an individual to associate the term “activating” with warm and bright colors such as yellow and red, while, physiologically speaking, activating colors are at the opposite end of the spectrum (blue). The doubt arising from these observations is that a complex system like the one of human perception does not possess some form of convergence between these two mechanisms. In this paper, we will discuss the early stages of research that aims to understand if it’s possible to find a proportion between the emotions and moods aroused by colors and their influence on our physiology
2022
Colour and Colorimetry Multidisciplinary Contributions Vol. XVII A
978-88-99513-18-4
Light, Color, Physiology, Psychology, Design, Behavior
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/1226871
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