Page 20 - August 2017 Voices

What is Your Favorite Color?

by Mary Canton, ACB, ALB

What is your favorite to one of his favorite YouTube stars and he felt
color? Odds are it might like a million bucks because he was sporting the
be blue. Blue is reported color of his favorite team,
to be the most popular on his head. Green hair was
color in the world. something that he really
But wait. . . Would desired, as both a physical
you dye your hair blue? and emotional connection
Would you buy blue to his favorite icons. As for
ketchup? More than likely, there is a limit to the me, I felt much safer sending
application of your favorite color. Ecological him off to outdoor camp for
valence is one theory that could explain your color a week, knowing his neon
preference. For example, when you think of your green hair would easily keep
favorite blue you are probably him in the sights of his camp
thinking of the ocean or the sky counselors. But green hair is not for everyone,
or your favorite team, not blue Grandma is still wondering why we did it.
hair or ketchup. The ecological
valence theory proposes that Color is situational
our likes and dislikes of color are Circumstances, location or surroundings
based on the objects the color have an impact on our feelings and attitude
represents. Many of us dream on color. Growing up I had a pink bedroom.
to be surrounded by clear blue A pink bedroom for a little girl, that’s to be
skies or the beautiful ocean. expected. Well, what about a pink locker room
Most of us don’t fondly recall for the visiting college football team? In 1979
our favorite blue hair or blue the emeritus Iowa coach, Hayden Fry, believed
ketchup, yes Heinz sold blue a pink locker room could gain the Hawkeyes
ketchup in 2003. a pregame psychological advantage. He was a
The psychology of color is: psychology major who understood cognitive
• Personal bias. He theorized that pink would put the other
• Situational team in a passive mood or would make the other
• Cultural team feel uncomfortable/underperform. Fry
said that when other coaches made a fuss about
Color is personal the color, he knew his color choice was working.
Our color preferences are driven by expe- In 2005 the college renovated the locker room
riences, feelings and desires. My eleven year with pink lockers, pink toilets and pink showers.
old son’s favorite color is green. He decided Some teams say they enjoyed the unique color
in preschool that green was his favorite color choice but some critics argue that the color is
because he likes the Oregon Ducks. He has a being used in a derogatory way.
green bedroom, green shirts, shoes, toothbrushes, In 2009, the NFL partnered with the
you name it. He recently persuaded me to dye his American Cancer Society, and pink was a
hair neon green; permanent, all over, neon green. prominent color used throughout the month
He was inspired by one of his favorite YouTube of October. Pink represented the brand, used
stars. I resisted, my only experience with green for marketing of breast cancer awareness, under
hair was when swimmers hair turned green from these circumstances the use of pink in football
chlorine. In the end, I gave in and could literally was easily accepted.
see a spark of happiness and confidence grow in Color is cultural
his eyes after we were done dyeing his hair. The Color can symbolize values, customs or beliefs
color does not compliment his skin tone but he of a group. In Italy, the color blue not only
didn’t care, he now had a physical connection represents the skies and oceans of the beautiful

20 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2 AUGUST, 2017