Physiological Issues Related to Color in Dreams

Color Trends

Color in dreams usually appears in either of two ways: dream objects and scenery may appear as chromatically correct reproductions of their physical counterparts or, conversely, the entire dream might be identified with a color theme, such as a single color or color-combination. A 1933 study reported that among a group of college students surveyed, 60 percent experienced color in dreams. ¹ Various researchers have reported estimates of colored dreams ranging from 14 to 71 percent. ^2-5 Other general trends observed suggest that women experience color in dreams more than men and psychiatric patients experience color in dreams more often than normal controls. There is also a reported increase in the appearance of color in dreams when morphine and pituitary hormones are administered. The viewing of geometric forms and simple objects formed from colored pieces of paper before going to sleep has also been reported to increase the frequency of colored dreams.¹ An understanding of color in dreams can be aided by an understanding of the basic mechanisms involved in color perception in humans.

Conscious color vs. dream color

Studies suggest that the range of colors experienced in dreams is limited compared to the range of colors experienced in the normal waking state. Warmer colors are also more common in dreams than are cooler colors. In one study, colors seen in dreams were recorded from memory and plotted on a chromaticity diagram.² Of the dreams that contained color, saturated reds and oranges were more common, whereas saturated blues and greens were absent. Approximately half the dream colors were within the near-white area of pastel colors. Some dreams lack color altogether, and it has been proposed that during these dreams the areas of the visual cortex that seem to respond only to color may be inoperative. There remains a need for more research to further elucidate the mechanisms of color perception that operate in dreams and wakefulness.

What Color is Love?

Interpretation of dreams has been used extensively in psychoanalysis and there are fields of study dedicated not to the pursuit of physical or neurological explanations, but rather, psychological interpretations of color in dreams. It is thought that the mind assigns colors to dreams, and that these colors combine with images in dreams to form a complete meaning. Color is thought to be as meaningful as images and represent the emotional conditions that stimulate dreams or images within dreams.

Bob Hoss of the Texas Parapsychological Association observes that color in dreams may combine with imagery in either of four ways:¹¹

The color and the feelings the dreamer associates with the image relate to the same emotion, that is, they amplify each other;
The color ‘complements’ the image to add to the content or complete the story;
Color ‘modifies’ the image to reveal hidden meanings; and
Color appears by itself to represent emotional conditions that stimulated the dream.

Hoss uses a process he calls ‘Dream-Mapping’ to analyze color in dreams: He asks subjects to select from their dreams the colored images to which they have the greatest emotional reaction, or that they feel are most important. The subjects then match colors on a chart that best represent the colors in their dream, and read written expressions of possible meanings corresponding to the colors in question while at the same time sensing their emotional reactions to the readings.

These emotional reactions may be negative or positive. For example, on the basis of Hoss’ charts, the response associated with the color red could be one of feeling ‘intense, vital or animated’ or it could be a feeling of anger or outrage. It appears, however, that certain broad color categories evoke certain general responses that may be due to a sense of the existence or lack of the indicated quality. According to this scheme, the warm primary color red is associated with high energy, assertiveness and power whereas orange, another warm color, is associated with freedom, expansion and development. The cool primary color green is associated with self-esteem and security, while blue is associated with tranquility, peace and fulfillment. Yellow is associated with hope and change while brown represents security and comfort. Violet represents intimacy, charm and relationships; grey, distance or aloofness; black, the unconscious, or suppression and white represents new experiences or awareness. When colors appear together in a dream the interpretation may differ from when the colors appear separately.


	click here for author biography Physiological Issues Related to Color in Dreams Color Trends Color in dreams usually appears in either of two ways: dream objects and scenery may appear as chromatically correct reproductions of their physical counterparts or, conversely, the entire dream might be identified with a color theme, such as a single color or color-combination. A 1933 study reported that among a group of college students surveyed, 60 percent experienced color in dreams. ¹ Various researchers have reported estimates of colored dreams ranging from 14 to 71 percent. ^2-5 Other general trends observed suggest that women experience color in dreams more than men and psychiatric patients experience color in dreams more often than normal controls. There is also a reported increase in the appearance of color in dreams when morphine and pituitary hormones are administered. The viewing of geometric forms and simple objects formed from colored pieces of paper before going to sleep has also been reported to increase the frequency of colored dreams.¹ An understanding of color in dreams can be aided by an understanding of the basic mechanisms involved in color perception in humans. Conscious color vs. dream color Studies suggest that the range of colors experienced in dreams is limited compared to the range of colors experienced in the normal waking state. Warmer colors are also more common in dreams than are cooler colors. In one study, colors seen in dreams were recorded from memory and plotted on a chromaticity diagram.² Of the dreams that contained color, saturated reds and oranges were more common, whereas saturated blues and greens were absent. Approximately half the dream colors were within the near-white area of pastel colors. Some dreams lack color altogether, and it has been proposed that during these dreams the areas of the visual cortex that seem to respond only to color may be inoperative. There remains a need for more research to further elucidate the mechanisms of color perception that operate in dreams and wakefulness. What Color is Love? Interpretation of dreams has been used extensively in psychoanalysis and there are fields of study dedicated not to the pursuit of physical or neurological explanations, but rather, psychological interpretations of color in dreams. It is thought that the mind assigns colors to dreams, and that these colors combine with images in dreams to form a complete meaning. Color is thought to be as meaningful as images and represent the emotional conditions that stimulate dreams or images within dreams. Bob Hoss of the Texas Parapsychological Association observes that color in dreams may combine with imagery in either of four ways:¹¹ The color and the feelings the dreamer associates with the image relate to the same emotion, that is, they amplify each other; The color ‘complements’ the image to add to the content or complete the story; Color ‘modifies’ the image to reveal hidden meanings; and Color appears by itself to represent emotional conditions that stimulated the dream. Hoss uses a process he calls ‘Dream-Mapping’ to analyze color in dreams: He asks subjects to select from their dreams the colored images to which they have the greatest emotional reaction, or that they feel are most important. The subjects then match colors on a chart that best represent the colors in their dream, and read written expressions of possible meanings corresponding to the colors in question while at the same time sensing their emotional reactions to the readings. These emotional reactions may be negative or positive. For example, on the basis of Hoss’ charts, the response associated with the color red could be one of feeling ‘intense, vital or animated’ or it could be a feeling of anger or outrage. It appears, however, that certain broad color categories evoke certain general responses that may be due to a sense of the existence or lack of the indicated quality. According to this scheme, the warm primary color red is associated with high energy, assertiveness and power whereas orange, another warm color, is associated with freedom, expansion and development. The cool primary color green is associated with self-esteem and security, while blue is associated with tranquility, peace and fulfillment. Yellow is associated with hope and change while brown represents security and comfort. Violet represents intimacy, charm and relationships; grey, distance or aloofness; black, the unconscious, or suppression and white represents new experiences or awareness. When colors appear together in a dream the interpretation may differ from when the colors appear separately.