Favourite and Least Favourite Colours Tell Different Stories: Testing the Ecological Valence Theory

Colour preferences are not random – many people like blue but dislike brownish yellows. The Ecological Valence Theory (EVT) posits that colour preferences arise from affective experiences with similarly coloured objects, such as liking blue because of clear skies or disliking brown due to rotten foods. While the EVT should apply broadly, empirical tests have used very similar approaches and the same pre-selected colours. We tested the central prediction of the EVT using an alternative approach. Participants ( N = 135) selected their favourite and least favourite colours from an unrestricted range using a computerised colour picker. They also provided reasons for these preferences and listed free associations with the chosen colours. Results supported the central prediction of the EVT but also revealed important asymmetries. Support was strong for favourite colours. We found more consistent, object-based, and almost exclusively positive associations (90%). For least favourite colours, responses were more diverse and yielded a surprising amount of positive, thus incongruent, associations (38%). These findings demonstrate that colour preferences arise from broad influences, including abstract concepts and personal meanings, while revealing fundamental asymmetries between favourite and least favourite colours.