What your Lumia color says about you

Even though many of us have spent many hours weighing-up the pros and cons of each shade before selecting a color, the choice often isn’t as conscious as we think. Color psychologists believe we don’t exactly pick the colors of our possessions; they pick us. In this case, the four Nokia Lumia shades saw you coming, jostled for position and made a beeline for your jeans pocket.

“Every time you make a color choice, you’re making a statement about what’s going on in your head, even though most you the time you don’t know it,” color psychologist Angela Wright tells us. “Around 80 percent of our color choices are sub-conscious.”

So if you want really want to know what your smartphone color says about you, read on. But beware, this could cause puzzling psychological self-analysis.

Cyan – The Thinker
The cyan blue, complete with the matte finish, has become the early poster child of the Lumia range. According to Angela, who runs the London-based Color Affects company, it’s a happy color that conveys an intellectual and considered nature. “Generally, it’s an inspiring color because it’s very balanced,” she says. “Happy people, I would expect to choose that color.”

“However, it has all sorts of properties because it’s such an interesting combination of colors. It communicates that you know what you’re doing and that you’ve thought things through. The color red acts on the physical, but blue acts on the intellectual and it helps you to focus your thoughts and clear your mind.

“The thing about a blue smartphone is that you’d expect it to work really, really well,” she adds, so in that case it was a brave and confident choice!

White – The Sophisticate
Stefan from Nokia tells us that the ceramic-like high-gloss finish gives the white Lumia 900 a more “refined” feel. The psychologist goes a little further with her assessment. She believes that the white device gives off a impression of a sophisticated smartphone aficionado with high standards.

“White is all colors totally reflected, so if you’re wearing white clothes you’re actually creating a quite powerful barrier. It’s sort of ‘touch me not’, but in the case of smartphone it’s manifests itself as: ‘don’t touch this, it’s mine!’

“If you’re carrying a smartphone that’s glossy white, you’re saying ‘I do have standards’.”

Fuchsia – The Angry Lady
Naturally, the Fuchsia finish leans more towards the sensitivities of our female readers. Pink, says our psychologist, physically stimulates the nurturing, survival of the species instinct. That much we know. However, when it becomes Magenta, or in this case the very similar shade of Fuchsia, Angela says menfolk should be on their guard.

“Magenta, if it’s a very highly saturated color, is the color of militant feminism,” she says as we joyfully recall the old Weezer song Pink Triangle.

“It’s a very strong statement on the aggressive side of femininity. So this phone is one for the ladies, the sympathizers and perhaps those who’re a bit scared of feminists and want to integrate themselves.” The latter may apply to any man who’s fallen victim to a tyrannical female boss.

Black – The Protector
“Black can seem to be more of a sophisticated and confident choice, but in truth it’s more often used as a security blanket,” Angela says, leading me to finally realize why I wore all that black clothing and guy-liner during those misguided teenage years.

She adds: “Black is all colors totally absorbed so it creates protection. It’s nothing to do with having a dark personality or anything like that, but it may represent a safe choice.”

Nokia’s Head of Industrial Design Stefan Pannenbecker believes the black handset offers a more “technical” feel, so perhaps it appeals to your inner nerd rather than the desire for your phone to dish out a hug when you’re feeling blue… or cyan.

So, what do you think? Does the color of your phone say more about your psyche than even you knew, or is really all about which color goes best with your new sunglasses?

Then again, did your subconscious choose your t-shirt, which led you to choose your sunglasses, which led you to choose your phone? Do we even have free will? Why are we here? Dammit, what is the meaning of life?!

I think it’s best we stop here, don’t you?