INFORMATIONAL MEANING AND SYMBOLISM OF THE COLOR BLACK IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Zuzana Hubinkova, Anamarija Kirinić

Abstract


Color is a very important factor of communication because it is all around us. However, the symbolism of the color black is very specific and it ranges from elegance, fashion or status, to mourning, protest or anarchism. The aim of this paper is to find out to which extent business people are aware of their perceptions of colors and how they are used to communicate, especially the color black as a preferred color and its relationship with styles of communication, and selection of strategies for conflict resolution. The results indicate that a high percentage of the respondents to the questionnaire associated the color black with a rational communication style that is based on facts, rational phrases, arguments or evidence. It also shows that business people really believe that the color black in business communication is a symbol of good business communication and the choice of wearing black colored clothing for important business occasions is not random. It also shows the importance and to a certain extent the power of black in resolving conflicts.

Keywords


color; color black; business communication; symbolism; perception; commu-nication styles; conflict strategy

Full Text:

PDF

References


Argyle, Michael (2007), Bodily Communication, Second edition, e-book, Routledge, Taylor, Francis group, London and New York

Brajša, Pavao (1994), Pedagoška komunikologija, Školske novine, Zagreb

Eysenck, Hans Jurgen (1941), ˝A critical and experimental study of color preferences˝, American Journal of Psychology, 54, 385-394.

Casparie, Connie (2007), Color Attracts: Increase Your Sales by Choosing the Right Color on https://www.scribd.com/document/186561753/Color- Attracts-Report (accessed February 17, 2016)

De Vries, Reinout E., Andy Green (2007), Kreativnost u odnosima s javnošću, HUOJ, Biblioteka Print, Zagreb

De Vries, Reinout E., Angelique Bakker-Pieper, Robert Alting Siberg, Kim van Gameren, Martijn Vlug (2009), ˝The Contentand Dimensionality of Communication Styles“, Communication Research, 36, 178 on http://crx.sagepub.com/content/36/2/178 (accessed March 2, 2016)

Guilford, Joy Paul, Patricia C. Smith (1959), ˝A system of color preferences˝, American Journal of Psychology, 72(4), 487-502.

Hall, Judith A., Mark L. Knapp (2010), Neverbalna komunikacija u ljudskoj interakciji, Slap, Jastrebarsko

Heller, Eva (2000), Psychologie de la couleur – effets et symboliques, Pyramid, Paris

Johnson, David W., Frank P. Johnson (1987), ˝Group theory and group skills, Conflict of interest˝, Prentice-Hall International Editions, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

Nils Lie, Dan Murasasu (1996), ˝Prediction of criminality with the Lüscher Color Test; Is the Lüscher Color Test a possible instrument?˝, Journal of Preventive Medicine‚ 1996, 4(1), 47-51.

Miljković, Dubravka, Majda Rijavec (2005), Razgovori sa zrcalom, VBZ, Zagreb

Polhemus, Ted (2006), ˝What to wear in the global village˝, In: The power of fashion. About design and meaning, hg.von Nanda van den Berg/JanBrandt, Arnhen, 262-285.

Rouse, Michael J., Sandra Rouse (2005), Poslovne komunikacije: kulturološki I strateški pristup, Masmedia, Zagreb

Satir, Virginia (1972), Selbtwert und Kommunikation, Pfeiffer, Munchen

Tench, Ralph, Liz Yeomans (2009), Otkrivanje odnosa s javnošću, HUOJ, Biblioteka Print, Zagreb

Vodvarka, Frank (1999), Aspects of color, Loyola University Chicago, on www.midwest-facilitators.net/.../mfn_19991025_frank_vodvarka.pdf (accesssed February 7, 2016)

Watts, Reginald, Krishnamurty Sriramesh (2004), ˝The application of social semiotic theory to visual elements within corporate positioning material and the development of a viable methodology˝, Journal of Communication Management, 8(4), 384-394.

Whitfield, Allan T. W., Travis J. Wiltshire (1990), ˝Color psychology: A critical review˝, Genetic, Social & General Psychology Monographs, 116(4), 385-411.

Zjakić, Igor, Marin Milković (2010), Psihologija boja, Veleučilište u Varaždinu, Varaždin


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ISSN: 2490-3604 (print) ● ISSN: 2490-3647 (online)

Društvene i humanističke studije - DHS is under the Creative Commons licence.