purposes only and is not backed by any Similarly, the colors you dislike say a lot

1. What’s behind colour? serious research unless otherwise noted. about your weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
So what about personality colors? 4. Moreover, a change of color preference
Level: B2 First / C1 Advanced / C2 Proficiency According to proponents of color is thought to be triggered by changing life
Skills: speaking, reading and writing psychology, your favorite color (or colors) circumstances. According to this theory,
Interaction: whole class, in groups and individual activity
define your personality color. Yes, your new color preference may help you
it’s that simple! 3. According to them, the develop new qualities necessary to deal
Time: 70 minutes
colors you choose say a lot about your with your new circumstances.
physical, mental, and emotional states.
Warm up! (15’) – whole class activity
What’s your favourite colour? Adapted from: Psychologia (n.d.)

Do your colour preferences change depending on whether the colour applies to your Questions
clothes or to furniture at home?
Do you choose to wear a particular colour depending on your mood? Why (not)? 1. Why is it difficult to establish a clear connection between personality and colour?
2. According to the text, how should the information about personality and colour be
Do you see a connection between your personality and your favourite colour? Why treated?
(not)? 3. What can colour say about you?
Reading (15’) – individual activity 4. How can a change in colour preference be interpreted?

Students should read the text and answer the questions.

What’s your personality color? Students should read the information on the colour they most identify with and then have a
conversation with their partners expressing whether they agree or disagree with the
Here is a simple test for you: If you had to the color brown would be your color of
information provided and reacting to their classmates ideas and opinions.
pick one favorite color what it would be? choice.
We are not talking about your clothes or As we said earlier, the same color can be
paint in your living room. The question is: perceived very differently by different Personality colour and character traits
What color appeals to you the most? Don’t people. Let’s take the color black, for
overthink this, answer this question example. A lot of people love the color
spontaneously. It’s okay to have two or black. They find it classy, fashionable. It
three favorite colors. This is the key to your can also make you look slimmer. On the
People with a white personality
personality color. While most people think other hand, some may have a bias against
type are all about looking for People with a black personality
that colors don’t have any impact on our this color: They associate it with mourning
simplicity, openness, and purity. type are independent and strong-
choices, feelings, and behaviors, a closer and sadness. What you think is cool and
It is a very confident personality willed.
look into this matter proves the opposite. fashionable is perceived as depressing by
type.
The issue is 1. we all perceive colors quite these people.
differently and trying to figure out general Given the impact of colors on our choices,
rules is very hard. There are warm shades one would expect color psychology to be a
and cold shades to each color, and you well-studied subject, but it isn’t. Very little
may feel differently about each version. research has been done, and most
Besides, we see some colors inappropriate information you find on this subject has
for specific purposes, even though we may only anecdotal evidence if any. Let’s look at
Having a blue personality type
love them. For example, while you may what self-proclaimed color psychologists
Having a red personality type suggests a tendency towards
absolutely love the color red, it doesn’t are saying. 2. Take this with a grain of salt.
suggests a strong will, ambition, having a fixed set of principles
mean you want to have red shoes and a red Any information on personality colors
and energy. and a desire to live according to
handbag. You may dislike the color brown, provided on this site is for entertainment
these principles. It is also a
but when it comes to shoes and handbags,
peaceful personality type.
2 3
 According to color psychology,
people with a strong preference KEY
for the color green strive for People with this personality type
safety, security, and are perfectionists and dreamers.
acknowledgment. They need to
love and be loved. What’s your personality color?

Here is a simple test for you: If you had to other hand, some may have a bias against
People with an orange pick one favorite color what it would be? this color: They associate it with mourning
personality type can be “Brown” people enjoy a simple We are not talking about your clothes or and sadness. What you think is cool and
described as social butterflies. life, and it’s good friends and paint in your living room. The question is: fashionable is perceived as depressing by
They sincerely love people and close relationships that make What color appeals to you the most? Don’t these people.
like to be around others. them happy. overthink this, answer this question Given the impact of colors on our choices,
spontaneously. It’s okay to have two or one would expect color psychology to be a
three favorite colors. This is the key to your well-studied subject, but it isn’t. Very little
personality color. While most people think research has been done, and most
Adapted from: Psychologia (n.d.)
that colors don’t have any impact on our information you find on this subject has
choices, feelings, and behaviors, a closer only anecdotal evidence if any. Let’s look at
Reading into Writing (25’) – individually
look into this matter proves the opposite. what self-proclaimed color psychologists
Students should write an essay explaining the relation between society and colour and The issue is 1. we all perceive colors quite are saying. 2. Take this with a grain of salt.
differently and trying to figure out general Any information on personality colors
expressing their view on the topic. They should incorporate ideas and information included in rules is very hard. There are warm shades provided on this site is for entertainment
the text below and in the previous reading and speaking tasks. and cold shades to each color, and you purposes only and is not backed by any
may feel differently about each version. serious research unless otherwise noted.
You have attended a series of lectures about social change and psychology. To receive a Besides, we see some colors inappropriate So what about personality colors?
certificate of attendance you need to submit an essay on the relationship between society and for specific purposes, even though we may According to proponents of color
colour and how this impacts our perception of it. You have found the texts above and the text love them. For example, while you may psychology, your favorite color (or colors)
absolutely love the color red, it doesn’t define your personality color. Yes,
below. Use some of the ideas and information included in both texts to explain the relation mean you want to have red shoes and a red it’s that simple! 3. According to them, the
between society and colour. Be ready to express your views on the topic. Write your essay in handbag. You may dislike the color brown, colors you choose say a lot about your
220-260 words. but when it comes to shoes and handbags, physical, mental, and emotional states.
the color brown would be your color of Similarly, the colors you dislike say a lot
choice. about your weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
[...] The notion that colour is bound up with the fate of Western culture sounds odd,
and not very likely. But this is what I want to argue: that colour has been the object As we said earlier, the same color can be 4. Moreover, a change of color preference
of extreme prejudice in Western culture. For the most part, this prejudice has perceived very differently by different is thought to be triggered by changing life
remained unchecked and passed unnoticed. And yet it is a prejudice that is so all- people. Let’s take the color black, for circumstances. According to this theory,
embracing and generalized that, at one time or another, it has enrolled just about example. A lot of people love the color your new color preference may help you
every other prejudice in its service. It is, I believe, no exaggeration to say that, in the black. They find it classy, fashionable. It develop new qualities necessary to deal
West, since Antiquity, colour has been systematically marginalized, reviled, can also make you look slimmer. On the with your new circumstances.
diminished and degraded. Generations of philosophers, artists, art historians and
cultural theorists of one stripe or another have kept this prejudice alive, warm, fed
and groomed. As with all prejudices, its manifest form, its loathing, masks a fear: a
fear of contamination and corruption by something that is unknown or appears
unknowable. This loathing of colour, this fear of corruption through colour, needs a
name: chromophobia.
Chromophobia manifests itself in the many and varied attempts to purge colour from
culture, to devalue colour, to diminish its significance, to deny its complexity. Colour
is regarded as alien and therefore dangerous, and it is perceived merely as a
secondary quality of experience, and thus unworthy of serious consideration.
David Batchelor (2000)

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