Introduction

I have always had an interest in colors and coordinating them, whether it was
designing my room or putting together an outfit for school or a special occasion. Of
course people prefer certain colors over others, but I am curious as to why we are
drawn to a certain color or shade of one. We often hear that colors can influence our
moods, feelings, and behavior. However, I want to know if and how colors are used
in society and in what ways can our identities be altered, whether it is through
social media, choice of clothing, vision ability, or ones surroundings etc.
Methods
What is discourse identity? James Gee, a professor from The University of
Wisconsin-Madison, describes discourse identity as the inner identity that one
carries such as a trait and is recognized by others (Gee, 103). This identity is not
something someone is or is born with. However, I wanted to know if and how
colors are used in society and in what ways can our identities be altered, whether it
is through social media, choice of clothing, vision ability, or ones surroundings etc.
Although we had a limited amount of time, I initially began my research by
evaluating what type of identity was being affected by colors. I determined that
discourse identity was the specific type of identity that transformed the most. I then
began conducting my primary research, interviewing someone who is colorblind.
When conducting this research I wanted to see to what extent does visual
impairment affect ones identity and how they perceive things. I contacted my
interviewee through email with various questions concerning his view on how he
sees a change in his identity and how it affects him and his actions daily. I also
conducted further research, mostly online; looking for how color was used
throughout society and in what manners was it used to alter discourse identity.
Surroundings
On a daily basis, we as people encounter countless surroundings whether it is
where we buy food, or work, maybe the routes to and from our destinations,
relatives homes, or where we vacation. Our surroundings and their colors influence
and affect the way we feel and our emotions. Each color conveys moods that alter
ones discourse identity. For instance, where do most families go for vacation? You
will most likely find them near the beach or out exploring the outdoors in other
states than their own. Why is this? Vacations are considered as a time for relaxation
and tranquility from ones busy lifestyle. The color blue is the most visible color on n
vacation, out near the ocean, or outdoors. This exemplifies why someone feels so
relaxed in these locations. The color blue is known to create a feeling of calm and
peacefulness.
Throughout the shopping world, color has become an important tool, using
colors to attract a customer to a product in hopes of one buying it. According to
Channa Leichtling, a researcher on how colors affect marketing, color choice and
preference is most affective in children. Leichtling claims that children respond

more to the color of their food than the actual taste of it. For example, when a child
is walking through the store and sees a box of food with bright and exciting colors
that might represent a cartoon or remind them of something they love, the child is
more likely to choose this box over any of the others, whether that food tastes good
or not. It is the color recognition that influences the childs decision making. From
the marketing perspective, the use of color is a huge factor on driving customers to
buy a product and they use it to their advantage by effectively persuading a
customer that their product is better than any other.
Pam Dyer, a marketing director, focuses not only on the value of a brand but
also the importance of using colors to an advantage throughout the marketing
world. This holistic approach and use of color is a non-verbal communication used
daily. According to Dyer, utilizing the color theory is one of the most affective
methods of generating customer appeal. She relates the use of color in the
marketing world to the increase in brand recognition, readership, comprehension
and the reason people buy. Brands can convey countless emotions (infographic on
the left), The brands present visual cues that drive and influence purchasing. These
visual cues are the most persuasive elements in the buying process.
Vision Abilities
Not only can colors affect ones identity through how they are presented, but
ones vision abilities and color recognition can influence their identity as well. Dane
Jorgensen, my interviewee, has been color blind all of his life. He reflects that being
colorblind and his vision deficiency not only affect the way he perceives things on a
daily basis, but as well as his identity. Jorgensen refers to himself as somewhat
hypertensive and more detailed oriented when comparing himself to those with no
visual impairment. He also claims that peoples hair color and clothing arent as
noticeable to him, suggesting that it has made him more aware of textures, different
cuts and the ways in which things are presented. With his lack of color recognition,
Jorgensen finds himself dressing more reserved and persistently wearing solid
colored clothing along with basic patters. His vision deficiency also affected the
degrees in which he was trying to pursue, culinary or geology. His visual impairment
hindered his ability to distinguish a geological specimen as well as the degree to
which food needed to be cooked. Jorgensen exemplifies how ones identity can
become altered due to vision abilities as a whole. With his lack of color recognition
he compensates with this inability by focusing on details and in return dresses more
reserved.
Conclusion
As discussed earlier, discourse identity is the inner identity that one carries
such as trait or quality that others recognize. My focus was on this inner identity and
how it transforms, both through the process of decision-making and mood change
as well as the affect that color can have someone as a whole. All of these alterations
can happen through the colors in ones surroundings and vision abilities. Ones
identity as a whole if affected by colors and ones color recognition, such as being

color blind. Conversely, colors affect discourse identity as well through their
presence in surroundings that creates a mood change or sense of emotion as well as
possibly influencing ones decision-making, as seen in the marketing world.