Colours in clothes and psychological functioning: the impact on emotions and self-esteem

Background: Colours are the object of study in various areas of humanitarian sciences, such as linguistics, cultural studies, and art. In psychology, the effects of colour on behaviour and emotional states are analyzed. The purpose of this research is to explore the preference for colours in clothes Indian students wear and report the results of the “Colour Challenge Week” project. Methods: Simultaneous mixed methods were used in this study: qualitative (a survey, documents analysis: students’ reports) and quantitative (two standardized tests: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the PANAS-SF). Results: The article introduces the survey results among 246 university students aged 18-22 from different states of India. It shows the colours black, white, and blue in clothes are of preference. Pearson’s Chi-Square test was used to examine the Frequency distribution of values. To find the answer to the research question: “What is the impact of colours in clothes on students’ emotions and self-esteem?” a thematic analysis of students’ reports was performed. Conclusions: The exploration of this topic is far from complete and to uncover all relationships further intensive research is required. Future studies are recommended utilizing bigger sample sizes with a more equal proportion of males to females