The hidden power of colours | Patricia Thenisch | TEDxHWZ

TEDx talk by Patricia Thenisch on the hidden power of color: favorite colors, red-sensitivity gender differences, color-sorted apps, and how color shapes emotion and first impressions.

Key Takeaways

Color strongly influences emotion, memory, and perception, often without conscious awareness.
Color-coding and deliberate color choices can improve efficiency and how others perceive us.
Individual and gender differences in color perception exist, but color preferences are largely shaped by personal experience.

What the video covers

Speaker recalls childhood pencil-box fascination and her lifelong favorite color, red, contrasting with blue as the world's most favored color.
Favorite colors are shaped by layered meanings and feelings drawn from past experiences; blue is linked to positive memories like clear skies and oceans.
Women are generally better at distinguishing red and its shades, linked to a gene on the X chromosome, while men often see little difference between ruby and apple red.
A memory experiment shows people remember a logo's colors far more than its text, symbols, or details.
Sorting smartphone apps by color is presented as a time-saver; over a year it could save about 22 hours, though the effect is exaggerated to show color's impact.
Colors evoke emotions: yellow feels cheery but can cause dizziness and nausea, which is why it is rarely used in public transport interiors or airplanes.
A coffee shop repainted its light blue walls orange; customers stopped complaining of cold even though the temperature was unchanged, showing warm colors create a warmer feeling.
Color makes images more vibrant and memorable; a black-and-white scene becomes emotionally positive once color is added.
An afterimage demonstration shows the brain perceives color in a black-and-white picture through chromatic adaptation.
About 60-90% of first impressions are influenced by color; bright, friendly colors make people seem more approachable and trustworthy.

Chapters

Why do men and women perceive red differently according to the talk?

The speaker says researchers linked the ability to distinguish red and its shades to a gene on the X chromosome. Since women have two X chromosomes and men have one, women tend to be better at seeing differences among red shades.

Why do people remember logos by color rather than details?

In the WhatsApp experiment, participants struggled to draw the logo accurately, showing that people mostly remember things by their color rather than by text, symbols, or numbers.

How can color be used to make a better first impression?

The speaker suggests choosing colors purposefully, such as navy blue for a job interview because it inspires confidence, since color recognition often shapes the majority of first impressions.

Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

Speaker A

[Applause] who, of, you, had, such, a, pretty, pencil, box when, you, were, little oh, I, see, a, lot, of, hands, great, well, I, had one, too, when, I, was, little, and, I, could draw, with, it, for, hours and, when, thinking, about, elementary

Speaker A

school, I, remember, sitting, at, my, desk opening, the, metallic, lid, of, this, box, and then, I, was, met, by, the, sweet, wooden, smell of, those, pencils and, one, thing, I, especially, enjoyed, doing was, sorting, them, according, to, that, color

Speaker A

so, first, I, picked, the, yellow, one, then, I picked, the, orange, one, then, the, red, one and, so, on, until, a, beautiful, rainbow pattern, appeared well, my, drawing, skills, have, improved over, time, I'm, happy, to, tell, you, but, one

Speaker A

thing, remained, the, same, and, that, is, my favorite, color it, is, red, till, today but, what, about, our, favorite, color, how, do we, pick, a, favorite, color, and, what actually, drives, those, preferences well, in, fact, we, layer, a, meaning, and, a

Speaker A

feeling, onto, it, mostly, taken, from previous, experiences so, what, do, you, think, is, the, world's, most favorite, color it, is, blue and, in, this, case, researchers, believe that, people, attribute, a, positive, memory onto, it, such, as, a, clear, blue, sky, or, an

Speaker A

idyllic, ocean as, I, just, told, you, red, is, my, favorite color but, ladies, have, you, ever, wondered, why men, sometimes, have, a, hard, time, helping you, pick, a, red, lipstick the, reason, is, women, and, men, see, red differently, Yes, you, heard, right

Speaker A

researchers, discovered, the, ability, to see, red, and, all, its, related, Shades, comes down, to, gender, there's, actually, a, gene that, allows, us, to, see, red, and, all, its related, Shades, and, that, Gene, is, linked to, the, X, chromosome

Speaker A

because, women, have, two, X, chromosome, and men, only, have, one, they're, equipped, with a, better, ability, to, see, red, and, all, its related, Shades, whereas, men, don't necessarily, see, much, of, a, difference between, Ruby, and, apple, red so, ladies, bear, with, them, the, next, time

Speaker A

you, go, shopping, for, colorful, outfits namely, red, ones different, colors, evoke, different emotions, and, that, can, also, help, us memorize, things in, order, to, illustrate, that, I, would, like to, do, a, little, experiment, with, you, I therefore, ask, you, to, all, grab, that, piece

Speaker A

of, paper, and, the, pen, that, was, placed, on your, seat we're, gonna, have, a, little, bit, of, fun, now okay did, everyone, find, it good, okay, before, we, start, I'm, assuming that, all, of, you, know, what, the, WhatsApp

Speaker A

logo, on, your, smartphone, looks, like, since you, use, it, every, day okay, I, see, knotting, heads, great, so, I'm asking, you, to, draw, exactly, that, logo onto, your, piece, of, paper, and, you, can start, now and, don't, pick, on, your, phones, don't, peek

Speaker A

over, to, your, neighbor, just, try, to remember, what, the, WhatsApp, looks, like well, since, you, use, it, every, day should, be, a, piece, of, cake okay, three two one, what, have, you, got well, I, don't, think, a, lot, so, let's, look

Speaker A

at, the, logo well, from, the, noise, that's, going, on, in the, audience, I'm, assuming, that, this wasn't, an, easy, task, right but, to, comfort, you I, did, the, same, experiment, with, a, couple of, random, people and, this, is, what, they, came, up, with

Speaker A

so, you, see, seemingly, so, easy, but difficult, to, execute, and, that, is, because we, remember, things, mostly, for, the, color and, not, necessarily, for, the, text, the symbol, or, the, number so, we, have, it the, hidden, power, of, color

Speaker A

speaking, of, smartphone, apps, a, while, ago I, came, across, a, guy, on, the, internet, who claimed, sorting, his, smartphone, apps according, to, color, was, a, game, changer for, him he, insisted, that, this, approach, helped him, be, much, more, efficient, and, he, found

Speaker A

his, needed, apps, much, faster and, this, is, how, we, color, sorted, them, the green, up, icons, together, with, the, green one, the, blue, ones, together, with, the, blue ones, and, so, on, and, this, actually, started quite, a, controversial, discussion, on, the

Speaker A

internet, some, finding, this, approach, very smart, and, helpful, and, use, others, just utterly, useless so, I, was, intrigued who, is, right, in, that, debate of, course, I, had, to, try, it, out, and, this is, what, my, smartphone, looks, like, today

Speaker A

you, see, all, my, apps, are, in, color coordinated, folders, and, let, me, tell, you it, was, a, game, changer, for, me, too, I, find it, much, easier, to, navigate, this, way what, does, easier, mean, more, efficient I, did, the, math

Speaker A

on, average, we, unlock, our, phones 110, times, a, day, which, is, a, lot now, assuming, by, rearranging, our smartphone, apps, we, gain, two, seconds because, we, find, them, faster, on, this, very fast, one, too, it's, not, a, lot

Speaker A

well, let, me, tell, you, that, by, the, end, of the, year, you, end, up, saving, 22, hours, just because, you, rearranged, your, smartphone apps, so, I, encourage, you, to, try, it, this of, course, is, pushed, to, the, extreme, but

Speaker A

it, shows, how, much, of, an, impact, colors can, have, on, our, lives so, colors, are, a, fascinating, subject, and they, can, also, impact, on, how, we, feel so, how, do, you, feel, about yellow is, a, very, cheery, and, bright, color, yellow

Speaker A

is, like, the, good, friend, that, you, want, to have, in, your, team, the, one, that, is, always positive, and, fun, to, be, around but, people there, is, a, reason, why, you, never, see yellow, in, the, Interiors, of, public

Speaker A

transportation the, color, yellow, can, actually, make, you feel, dizzy, and, nauseous, and, for, this reason, you, almost, never, find, it, in airplanes colors, are, all, fun, and, games but, they, can, also, play, little, tricks, on our, minds a, coffee, shop, with, light, blue, walls, was

Speaker A

so, tired, about, hearing, their, customers complain, about, the, cold that, they, painted, their, walls, Orange the, temperature, stayed, exactly, the, same but, the, complaining, stopped, entirely and, that, is, because, certain, colors prompt, a, warmer, feeling, when, we, look, at

Speaker A

them, whereas, others, have, a, naturally cooling, effect, on, our, subconscious, Minds a, scene, from, a, black, and, white, movie, is much, easier, to, be, remembered, than, a film-minded, color let's, look, at, this, picture what, do, we, see, well, we, see, a, lot, of, gray

Speaker A

and, black, and, white, and, buildings, and rectangles, and, not, a, lot, going, on but, as, soon, as, we, add, color, to, it the, entire, thing, changes, the, picture instantly, becomes, vibrant, full, of, energy and, we, suddenly, attribute, a, positive

Speaker A

emotion, to, it, that, we, didn't, do, before so, we, have, it, again, the, hidden, power, of color because, the, previous, exercise, was, so much, fun we're, gonna, do, a, second, one but, you, don't, need, to, take, your, papers

Speaker A

you, can, put, them, down, again I, just, need, to, focus, you, on, the, next, two slides and, you, were, seeing, a, black, dot, in, the middle, which, will, help, you, to, focus, on the, picture, so, I'm, asking, you, to, really

Speaker A

look, at, the, screen, at, all, times, I, until I, tell, you, to, do, otherwise, so, we're going, to, start, with, that, one, a, beautiful black, and, white, scenery, you, see, the black, dot, in, the, middle and, to, make, it, a, bit, more, fun, we're

Speaker A

going, to, add, colors, and, it's, actually the, inverted, colors, of, the, original picture so, here, let's, focus, on, that, image, just look, at, it and, focus, on, the, black, dot, in, the, middle for, a, couple, of, seconds, Don't, Look, Away

Speaker A

really, concentrate, on, that, picture a, couple, more, seconds five four three two one what, did, you, see well, you, saw, color, even, though, it's, a black, and, white, picture, and, there, is, a scientific, explanation, to, that, which, is

Speaker A

called, chromatic, adaptation which, I'm, not, going, to, explain, today, my point, here, is, that, our, brain, always, and all, the, time, craves, color, and, it, will add, it, where, it, deems, it, necessary this, by, the, way, is, the, original, picture

Speaker A

and, these, are, the, colors, that, you thought, you, saw, before colors, are, quite, important, in, our, lives and, they, have, a, big, impact, I'm, gonna give, you, a, number, first 62, to, 90, percent what, does, that, mean well, that, you, know, that, 62, to, 90, percent

Speaker A

of, a, first, impression, is, made, up, due, to color when, people, meet, for, the, first, time, the majority, majority, of, their, impressions are, made, up, of, color, recognition research, has, found, that, people, wearing bright, and, friendly, colors, are, more

Speaker A

likely, to, form, positive, bonds, compared to, people, wearing, black, and, neutral colors, when, I, entered, the, stage, and, I stepped, on, that, red, carpet, the, majority of, you, people, in, the, room, made, a subconscious, judgment, about, the, colors

Speaker A

I'm, wearing, today they, can, be, good, they, can, be, bad, doesn't matter but, you, might, subconscious, judgment, even though, you, didn't, want, to, your, brain forces, you, to, make, a, judgment and, that's, quite, impressive, I, find, where we, have, it, again, the, hidden, power, of

Speaker A

color so, let's, go, back, to, our, early, days, since our, childhood callers, play, a, vital, role, in, our, lives but, now, you, may, wonder, how, can, you, use that, hidden, power, of, color, to, your advantage it's, very, simple

Speaker A

number, one, be, more, efficient, colors, can help, you, be, more, efficient, color, sort you, wardrobe, so, you, don't, waste, time, in the, morning, picking, out, an, outfit, color sort, your, smartphone, apps, so, you, find you, needed, apps, much, faster, or, the, next

Speaker A

time, you, ask, your, children, to, tidy, up their, Lego, bricks ask, them, to, color, certain, first, this, way it, will, not, only, help, them, develop, their sorting, skills, it, will, also, give, them, a sense, of, achievement, number, two

Speaker A

make, a, lasting, impression pick, a, color, in, the, morning, that, helps you, in, what, you, want, to, achieve, that, day going, for, a, job, interview, where, that navy, blue, blazer, because, navy, blue inspires, confidence want, to, make, a, lasting, impression, on, an

Speaker A

audience, make, sure, you, include, a, mix, of popping, colors, into, your, outfit, and, it will, make, a, difference and, number, three simply, be, aware, of, the, emotional, impact that, colors, can, have the, colors, that, you, surround, yourself influence, your, perspective, and, your

Speaker A

emotions, as, well, as, those, around, you colors, are, also, a, way, of, communicating without, words, and, they, play, an, important role, in, conveying, information the, importance, of, color, however, isn't always, obvious, with, some, level, of self-reflection I, therefore, encourage, you, to, use, that

Speaker A

potential, power, of, color, to, not, only make, your, life, a, little, easier but, most, of, all, a, lot, more, impactful [Applause]

Topics:color psychologycolor perceptionfavorite colorchromatic adaptationfirst impressionscolor memoryTEDxcolor in marketingred color gender differencePatricia Thenisch

Get More with the SozAI App

Transcribe recordings, audio files, and YouTube videos — with AI summaries and speaker detection. 30 minutes free.

App Store Google Play

Or transcribe another YouTube video here →

Free tools: TXT to SRT · SRT Validator · Merge SRT · Subtitle to Text · All tools