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| A common Credit Card Machine http://citationmachine.net/index.php shields.html |
Many things can cue a person to act a certain way, be it what someone remarks to another concerning the intelligence level of their mother, or perhaps if a certain scent beckons a hungry traveler to sneak into the nearby kitchen to see if that pie over there has cooled enough to spare a slice. The impulse of actions, as well as the urge to do those actions, are brought on by input through the five senses - touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Color, for instance, brings on more impulses than we ourselves wish to admit. For example, the credit card machine to the left. Out of all the buttons on the device, the red button catches the eye first, and begs to be pressed (Manor).
Sight, however, affects behavior on such a subtle level that barely anyone notices it. Picture, if you will, a credit card machine - specifically, the ones found at the end of checkout stands in grocery stores and supermarkets. Notice the buttons - the red button sticks out the most, crying out to be pressed. Even though it will result in the effect that you do not want (providing that there isn't an error in checkout), the fact remains that you did want to push it at some point (Manor). Thus, colors affect our behavior, whether we want it to or not.
Within the Middle Ages, were people affected by the colors of various
coat-of-arms? Below is a table comparing the colors to their heraldic
meaning, the meaning in Color Psychology as according to infoplease.com
and Society's Stereotypical view. The Stereotypical View data was compiled
through via a small questionnaire that merely asked participants what they
thought of when they immediately see each color.
| Color | Heraldry Meaning | Color Psychology's Meaning | Society's Stereotypical View | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metals | Gold (Yellow) | Wealthy, Generous | Cheerful, Optimistic | Caution, Happy, Warm |
| Silver (White) | Peaceful, Pure | Innocence, Purity | "Holy," Cold, Pure | |
| Main Colors | Black | Grief, Secretive | Authority, Power | Mourning, Darkness |
| Blue | Truthful, Loyal | Cold, Depressing, Loyalty, Masculine, Peaceful, Tranquil | Calm, Cheerful | |
| Green | Hope, Joy (Wade), Wise | Calm, Fertility, Nature, Wealth | Lucky, Wealth | |
| Purple | Royal, Dignified | Feminine, Romance, Royalty, Luxury, Sophistication, Wealth | Royal, Mysterious | |
| Red | Military fortitude (Wade), Passionate | Energizes, Alert | Stop, Hurry | |
| Stains (appears very rarely) | Mulberry | Unpredictable | Genuineness, Sad, Wistful | Soothing, Sleepy |
| Dark Blood-Red | Not hasty in battle, and yet a victor (Wade), Blood-thirsty | N/A | Blood, Danger | |
| Tawny orange | Worthy ambition (Wade), Meek | N/A | Fiery, Hot | |
According to Wikipedia.com's entry on color psychology, there is both positive and negative connotations with each color. The following table consists of the colors in heraldry, the assumed meaning in heraldry, and the negative and positive associations with each according to Wikipedia.com. These associations are based on connections to things in the Western Culture (Color Theory - Wikipedia.com).
| Color | Heraldry Meaning | Positive Associations | Negative Associations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metals | Gold (Yellow) | Wealthy, Generous | Sunlight, joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, wealth, summer, hope | Cowardice, illness (quarantine), hazards, dishonesty, avarice |
| Silver (White) | Peaceful, Pure | Reverence, purity, snow, peace, innocence, cleanliness, simplicity, security, humility, marriage, sterility | Coldness, sterility, clinical, surrender, cowardice, fearfulness, | |
| Main Colors | Black | Grief, Secretive | Power, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, style | Evil, death, fear, anonymity, anger, sadness, remorse, mourning, unhappiness, mystery |
| Blue | Truthful, Loyal | Seas, skies, stability, peace, unity, harmony, tranquility, calmness, coolness, confidence, water, loyalty, conservatism, dependability, cleanliness, technology | Depression, coldness, obscenity, technology | |
| Green | Hope, Joy (Wade), Wise | Nature, spring, fertility, youth, environment, wealth, money , good luck, vigor, generosity, go, grass | Inexperience, envy, misfortune, jealousy, money, illness, greed | |
| Purple | Royal, Dignified | Elegance, sensuality, spirituality, creativity, wealth, royalty, nobility, ceremony, mystery, wisdom, enlightenment | Cruelty, arrogance, mourning, profanity, exaggeration, confusion | |
| Red | Military fortitude (Wade), Passionate | Passion, strength, energy, fire, love, sex, excitement, speed, heat, leadership, masculinity, power | Danger, fire, blood, war, anger, revolution, radicalism, aggression, stop | |
| Stains (appears very rarely) | Mulberry | Unpredictable | N/A | N/A |
| Dark Blood-Red | Not hasty in battle, and yet a victor (Wade), Blood-thirsty | N/A | N/A | |
| Tawny orange | Worthy ambition (Wade), Meek | Energy, balance, heat, fire, enthusiasm, flamboyance, playfulness | Warning, danger, fire | |
These tables reveal that the heraldic meanings of the past still hold true to colors today, give or take. As to if the color of the coat of arms affects the bearer, it is uncertain as coats of arms were passed down from generation to generation (Slater).