The 4 IPA Colours
Colours as reflections of human temperament and perception
Introduction: The Meaning of Colour
Colours have always fascinated humankind — from ancient astrologers and Greek philosophers to modern psychologists. Colours evoke emotion and set moods; they affect how we perceive and experience the world around us.
Unambiguity is calculated by summing the contradictions in a candidate’s answers. A contradiction is defined as the smaller of the two opposing responses in a given trait. When normalised across all candidates, this produces a scale similar to the other IPA traits, with a median and upper and lower quartiles.
The Battle of Colours
In modern times, the classical conflict between scientific objectivity and human subjectivity has reappeared in the debate between Newton and Goethe.
Newton demonstrated that light consists of measurable waves that can be described mathematically and objectively. Goethe, on the other hand, explored the inner nature of colours. He believed that colours arise from the interaction between light and darkness, where blue and yellow form the two basic polarities, green represents their fusion, and red emerges as the intensified continuation of green. The colours used in the IPA Analysis build upon this philosophical foundation.
Colours as Concepts
Colours are more than physical wavelengths. By their nature, they represent polarities, syntheses, and relationships. The same ideas that describe life and development. Colours have their own inner character and emotional resonance, reflecting a state of mind and serving as a mirror of human experience.
Just as quantum physics later challenged the idea of pure objectivity by placing the observer inside the experiment, Goethe suggested that we exist in a kind of symbiosis with colour. When we look at colours, they also leave an imprint on us.
Modern psychology supports this view. Researchers such as the German psychologist Max Lüscher have demonstrated links between colour preferences and personality types that echo insights dating back over 2,000 years. Colour is not only a physical phenomenon but also a sensory and emotional one that influences how we feel and relate to our surroundings.
Colours reflect fundamental psychological phenomena and have long been used to describe temperaments and emotional types. With this understanding, we can outline a typology based on the four basic colours — the colours of personality.
The Colours of the IPA Universe
Blue
Blue is associated with the melancholic basic temperament and is the colour of TIGHTNESS and earth. Blue is associated with the introspective, the contractive, the formative, the delimiting and the precise.
The blue personality gives the impression of coolness, remoteness, honesty and objectivity, but also of the security and safety-seeking. It is the sober and rational thinking person.
The blue room is the study, providing space for reflection and contemplation
Red
Red is associated with the basic choleric temperament and is the colour of EMOTION and fire. Red is associated with the active, the strong-willed, the explosive, the passionate, the restless and is the colour of love.
The red personality is fiery, powerful, emotionally controlled and often reacts with anger and aggression. It is the dominant and outgoing person who often has an idealistic relationship with the world around him and fights tooth and nail to get his views across.
The red room is powerful, meaningful, solemn and attention-grabbing.
Green
Green is associated with the phlegmatic basic temperament and is the colour of SENSATION and water. Green is associated with the friendly, welcoming and long-suffering, the pleasurable tasting itself, the immersion in the experience.
The green personality is inherently restful, calm, slow, reflective. It is the person who is conciliatory, always ready to talk things over and who takes their time.
The green space is harmonising and calming and an image of “in the quiet deep peace of the forest”.
Yellow
Yellow is associated with the basic sanguine temperament and is the colour of INTUITION and air. Yellow is associated with the outgoing, the expansive, the inventive and the boundless.
The yellow personality is light, bright, full of radiance and enthusiasm, but also of volatility. Where the blue colour brings the world together in precise rationality, the yellow will spread the world out in more floating and fluid images.
The yellow space is expansive, throwing things out from itself and into the world. It is the space of dialogue and unpredictable processes.
Summary of the colours in the IPA Analysis
There is a clear connection between the classic color typologies and the colors that are used in the IPA Analysis.
The blue color is connected with the METHOD FACTORS and is associated with thoughts, knowledge, and rationality. This is where we create the factual, professional and knowledge-based foundation for our actions.
The red color is connected with the RESULT FACTORS which are related to action and power, and the way that deliberate action is directed towards the surroundings, in order to reach the set goals.
The green color is connected with the RELATIONSHIP FACTORS, and it is associated with compassion, empathy, and an open and accommodating behavior.
The yellow color is connected with the PERSONAL GROWTH FACTORS that covers the limitless possibilities, intuition, and a general desire for change and personal development. This is also the color of conflict and expansion, and it symbolizes a place of experimentation, self-development, and a desire to cross borders and enter unknown land.
