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Title: COLOUR SYMBOLISM ACROSS CULTURES: A DICHOTOMY BETWEEN GERMAN AND INDIAN CONTEXTS
Authors: Dr. Shubhda Chaudhary, Soumi Dutt and Vanshika Gupta
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Dr. Shubhda Chaudhary, Soumi Dutt and Vanshika Gupta Indraprastha College for Women - University Of Delhi
MLA 8 Chaudhary, Dr. Shubhda, et al. "COLOUR SYMBOLISM ACROSS CULTURES: A DICHOTOMY BETWEEN GERMAN AND INDIAN CONTEXTS." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 6, no. 5, May 2021, pp. 1545-1580, doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i05.014. Accessed May 2021. APA 6 Chaudhary, D., Dutt, S., & Gupta, V. (2021, May). COLOUR SYMBOLISM ACROSS CULTURES: A DICHOTOMY BETWEEN GERMAN AND INDIAN CONTEXTS. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 6(5), 1545-1580. Retrieved from doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i05.014 Chicago Chaudhary, Dr. Shubhda, Soumi Dutt, and Vanshika Gupta. "COLOUR SYMBOLISM ACROSS CULTURES: A DICHOTOMY BETWEEN GERMAN AND INDIAN CONTEXTS." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 6, no. 5 (May 2021), 1545-1580. Accessed May, 2021. doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i05.014.
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Abstract: Hall (1994) interpreted symbols as something that stands for, represents or denotes a particular thing. Fadae (2011) further elucidated this concept and expressed symbolism, or the use of symbols, as an object, an attitude, a belief, or a value to represent an abstract idea; it takes something ordinary or basic and makes it more than what it is in reality. Colour is a critical cue for many vital behavioural tasks: material identification, object recognition and social-sexual signalling . Given the importance of the behavioural uses of colour, and the known perceptual and physiological properties of colour vision, it is likely that the preference for coloured objects drives preference for colours themselves . Therefore, it can be inferred that colour plays a significant role in various cognitive and physical functions. Since there are 193 countries in the world, for this research paper, the sample size of the population has been concentrated to Germany and India. The sample size of the respondents has been restricted to the age group 16-55. This would help us to study better the contrasting colour preferences between the two countries. The research question of the study is whether the symbolism of colour is interpreted in the German context as is interpreted in the Indian context. The formation of opinions regarding colour preferences will be the dependent variable and external factors such as geography, linguistic features and culture are the independent variables.Using eleven basic colour terms, as determined by Berlin and Kay (1969), subjects’ perceptions of colour symbolism were explored through responses to an online survey shared with a global convenience sample . The findings have shown that culture affects the way we perceive colours symbolically. Data was found to both support and refute this hypothesis. According to the Institute of Colour Research, “all human beings make an unconscious judgment about a person, environment, or item within ninety seconds of initial viewing and that between 62 percent and 90 percent of that assessment is based on colour alone” (cited in Morioka & Stone, 2006). While many people may not be explicitly aware of the symbolism they attach to a colour, decisions or perceptions are often influenced based on the presence of color. The type of research is descriptive, and the source of data is primary and secondary, with asample size of 50 adults from Germany and India within the age group of 16-55. Questionnaires will be prepared for the collection of primary data. Online circulation of the questionnaire will be done. Moreover, a questionnaire collecting primary data will be prepared to understand how people belonging to different cultures associate colours to words in their mother tongue and third language. This research, therefore, aims to study the impact of culture on the way we perceive colours symbolically. The research gap in this research paper is that the audience reaction for the questionnaire could not be gauged which is important to understand colour preferences. Moreover, the sample size was small due to the existence of geographical barriers.

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