The colour of light and its influence on behaviour
Human beings, like all animals, are closely conditioned by their light environment.
The light from sunrises and sunsets is red, unlike midday light, which is white. Moreover, there is a low level of solar light at the start and at the end of the day.
The combination of the quantity of light and its colour is linked in our minds:
- The light from sunrises and sunsets is reassuring and facilitates a change in cardiac rhythm which facilitates awakening and drowsiness.
- Midday light cloaked in fog is disturbing and has a gloomy appearance
In one case, weak light reassures when it is hot.
In the other case, it is disturbing because it is cold.
Conversely, very white (and consequently very cold) strong light, like a bright sky, has an energising effect, while strong red or yellow light is disturbing, for instance when you are in a tunnel illuminated with sodium lamps..
The physician Kruithof described the physical law for this phenomenon which classifies lighting depending on:
- The level of illumination
- The colour of the light
Thanks to his work, we know how to artificially reproduce the desired light effect by playing on the quantity/colour balance for light sources.
Illustration of our perception of light depending on its colour and its illumination quantity, as described by Kruithof
The colour of light and its influence on behaviour
Human beings, like all animals, are closely conditioned by their light environment.
The light from sunrises and sunsets is red, unlike midday light, which is white. Moreover, there is a low level of solar light at the start and at the end of the day.
The combination of the quantity of light and its colour is linked in our minds:
In one case, weak light reassures when it is hot.
In the other case, it is disturbing because it is cold.
Conversely, very white (and consequently very cold) strong light, like a bright sky, has an energising effect, while strong red or yellow light is disturbing, for instance when you are in a tunnel illuminated with sodium lamps..
The physician Kruithof described the physical law for this phenomenon which classifies lighting depending on:
Thanks to his work, we know how to artificially reproduce the desired light effect by playing on the quantity/colour balance for light sources.
Illustration of our perception of light depending on its colour and its illumination quantity, as described by Kruithof
