Color Preferences and Personality Traits among Indian Youth

Pallavi Chawla

Independent Researcher

Delhi, India

Abstract
Color influences cognition, emotion, and behavior through complex interactions between perceptual systems and stored associations. In the present study, we undertake an in-depth examination of how Indian youth’s color preferences relate to their underlying personality traits, measured via the Five-Factor Model. Drawing on a large, geographically diverse sample (N = 550; ages 18–25), participants completed a standardized Color Preference Inventory (12 hues, rank-ordered) and the BFI-44. We applied correlational analyses to establish bivariate links between specific hues and each personality dimension, followed by multiple regression to assess the incremental predictive power of warm versus cool aggregate preferences—controlling for gender, age, and region. We further explored interaction effects and potential moderating roles of urban versus semi-urban residence. Our results reveal robust, directionally consistent associations: preference for cool hues (blue, green, violet) corresponds to higher agreeableness and conscientiousness, whereas warm hues (red, orange, yellow) track with extraversion and openness to experience. Neutral tones (gray, brown) showed a modest positive link with neuroticism. Additional subgroup analyses indicated that urban youth exhibited slightly stronger cool–conscientiousness ties than their semi-urban peers, suggesting contextual influences on color–personality relations. We discuss these findings within ecological valence theory and cultural-symbolism frameworks, emphasizing India’s unique palette of traditional meanings (e.g., saffron’s auspiciousness) alongside globalized color codes. Implications span targeted marketing, customized educational environments, digital interface design, and non-invasive mental-health screening tools. By situating color psychology within India’s fast-evolving youth demographic, this work advances theoretical models of color preference and offers practical guidance for stakeholders aiming to leverage hue cues for engagement, well-being, and behavior change.

Keywords

Color Preferences, Personality Traits, Indian Youth, Big Five, Survey

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