Take the red blue green test online. Luscher color test - as a tool for personal psychodiagnostics

The Luscher Color Choice Method is a psychological test related to projective techniques and invented by the Swiss psychologist Max Luscher. According to Lüscher, color perception is objective and universal, but color preferences are subjective, and this distinction allows subjective states to be objectively measured using a color test.

There are two versions of the Luscher test: short and full. When using the short version, a set (table) of eight colors is used: gray (conventional number - 0), dark blue (1), blue-green (2), red-yellow (3), yellow-red (4), red -blue or purple (5), brown (6) and black (7).

The full version of the Luscher color test (“Clinical Color Test”) consists of eight color tables:

"gray"

"eight colors"

table of 7 shapes corresponding to colors (excluding black)

"four primary colors"

"of blue color"

"Green colour"

"Red"

"yellow color"

8 color chart (reselect)

The testing procedure itself consists of ordering colors for the test subject according to the degree of their subjective pleasantness. Testing is carried out in natural light, but exposure to direct sunlight on the color chart is unacceptable. The instructions ask you to break away from associations associated with fashion, traditions, and generally accepted tastes and try to choose colors only based on your personal attitude.

Because color choice is based on unconscious processes, it indicates how a person really is, rather than how he imagines himself or how he would like to be, as often happens when survey methods are used.

The results of the Luscher color diagnostics allow for an individual assessment and professional recommendations on how to avoid psychological stress and the physiological symptoms to which it leads. In addition, the Luscher test provides additional information for psychotherapy.

Proponents of the Luscher test claim that it allows for a quick and in-depth analysis of personality based on information obtained from a simple ranking

Sobchik, L. N. Method of color selections - a modification of the eight-color Luscher test: a practical guide. - St. Petersburg. : Speech, 2007. - 128 p.

Luscher color test.

1. The Luscher color test is a projective technique for personality research. Based on subjective preference for color stimuli. According to the Q-L-T classification, related to Q-data. Published by M. Luscher in 1948.

2. His eight-color test is an extremely interesting technique, original in the choice of stimulus material, which acts like a powerful chord simultaneously on different aspects of the human psyche.

The test colors were selected experimentally by Luscher from 4,500 color tones. The author specifically emphasizes that adequate diagnostics from the standpoint of his method is only possible when using a standard, patent-protected set of color stimuli.

The Luscher test is originally presented in two versions:

1. Complete study with 73 color charts

2. a short test using an eight-color series.

The first of them is quite cumbersome and is most likely of value in cases where the color test is the only tool for psychodiagnostic research. At the same time, the final result of the research is not so extensive information compared to the time and effort spent.

The technique lacks any serious theoretical justification. The interpretive approach of the methodology, which is very eclectic, is based on the socio-historical symbolism of flowers, elements of psychoanalysis and psychosomatics. The experience of using the Luscher eight-color test in domestic conditions not only confirmed its effectiveness, but also made it possible to comprehend its phenomenology in the context of the modern scientific worldview. Its advantage over many other personality tests is that it is devoid of cultural and ethnic basis and does not provoke (unlike most other, especially verbal tests) reactions of a defensive nature. The technique reveals not only the conscious, subjective attitude of the subject to color standards, but mainly his unconscious reactions, which allows us to consider the method as deep, projective.

3 . Examination procedure proceeds as follows: the subject is asked to choose the most pleasant color from the tables laid out in front of him, without correlating it with the color of the clothes (does it suit the face), or with the upholstery of the furniture, or with anything else, but only in accordance with how much this We prefer a color in comparison with others for a given choice and at a given moment. When laying out color standards in front of the subject, you should use an indifferent background. The lighting should be uniform and bright enough (it is better to conduct the study in daylight). The distance between color tables must be at least 2 cm. The selected standard is removed from the table or turned face down. In this case, the psychologist writes down the number of each selected color standard. The recording goes from left to right.

The numbers assigned to the color standards are as follows: dark blue - 1, blue-green - 2, orange-red - 3, yellow - 4, purple - 5, brown - 6, black - 7, gray - 0.

Each time the subject should be asked to choose the most pleasant color from the remaining ones until all colors have been selected. After two to five minutes, having first mixed them in a different order, the color tables must be laid out again in front of the subject and the selection procedure must be completely repeated, saying that the study is not aimed at studying memory and that he is free to choose again the colors he likes so

as he pleases.

Additional notes:

Color cards should be shown in daylight if possible, but not in bright sunlight. The following four rules must also be observed:

1. The subject must adhere only to the data of color shades tested over many years and does not have the right to imagine, for example, a lighter, more “beautiful” color.

2. Each color must be selected separately. Under no circumstances should you choose two or more colors at the same time as a beautiful color composition.

3. The subject must decide completely freely which of the proposed colors he likes or dislikes. At the same time, he should not be rushed into answering or helped with leading questions.

4. In no case should colors be chosen with the idea that they are suitable for clothing, curtains, etc.

Reservations.

You need to know that starting from school age, every person can say that one color is more attractive to him than another. The exception is people (they are quite rare) who suffer from absolute color vision disorder and the mentally ill who are unable to communicate. Despite this, sometimes you have to deal with the following reservations: “All colors are equally attractive to me (or equally unattractive)”; “You need to know for what purpose you should choose a color: for a flower I would prefer one color, for a car another”; “It all depends on the mood with which they choose”; “Colors are preferred or rejected only because they remind of something specific (for example: black - mourning)”; “Color has a different meaning for each person,” etc.

Such reservations are usually found among anxious subjects who believe that there is some “correct” solution to the proposed task, which they are afraid of not finding. Another category of subjects who use such clauses are people with a slow reaction to new, atypical tasks. In this case, reservations help the subject to “play for time” and get used to the task.

If the subject’s decision-making is associated with such difficulties, then it is better to ask: “However, you can certainly say which color you like least.” If the decision is finally made, then things will proceed without difficulty. It should also be emphasized that individual choice and personal opinion are important and there is no “right decision”.

Persons prone to hesitation in making a decision can be prompted to make a choice by asking: “Are all colors equally good for you?”

4. Keys

Data processing:

If you conducted two tests with one subject, then it is generally accepted that the first choice characterizes the desired state, and the second - the actual one. Depending on the purpose of the study, the results of the relevant testing can be interpreted.

However, to obtain more complete information, it is better to compare the two choices and, when grouping, focus on stable pairs.

As a result of testing, we highlight the following positions: both of the prettiest colors receive the “+” (plus) sign, the second pair - pleasant colors - have the “x” sign (multiplication), the third pair - indifferent colors - are indicated by the “=" (equal) sign and the fourth pair - unattractive colors - receives a "-" (minus) sign.

Example. If you have this choice:

then you need to look at the following values in the table. For +3+1, open the registry table at the values +3 and read the values for the combination +3+1. Then, for the value x5x4, the table of values for x5 is opened and the value for x5x4 is read, etc. This is how data is processed if there is a single selection or if the values of both selections are the same.

There are situations where two choices differ slightly from each other, i.e. certain numbers remain close, even if their places have changed. These pairs of numbers are circled and considered a group.

1 choice 3 (1 5) (4 0) (6) (2 7)

2 choice 3 (5 1) (4 0) (6) (7 2)

To determine signs, there is the following rule:

the first group or individual digit has a + sign;

the second group or individual digit has an X;

the whole middle has a sign =;

the last group or individual digit has a - sign.

Sometimes the results of the choice in the second test are so different from the first that even identifying groups is impossible. In such cases, it is recommended to use the results of the second test for interpretation, the choice of colors in which is considered more direct and relaxed. A sharp movement of any color to the beginning or end of a row when comparing the results of the first and second tests reveals the subject’s ambivalent attitude towards the need symbolized by this color.

The concept of autogenic norm

The concept of an autogenic norm of color preferences is based on the research of Wallneffer. He examined patients using the eight-color Luscher test upon admission to a psychotherapeutic course and at the end of treatment. It turned out that upon admission to treatment, the color preferences of patients are extremely diverse, but in the case of successful therapy, by the time treatment is completed, the choices turn out to be much more uniform and approach the color sequence 3 4 2 5 1 6 0 7 . This sequence was adopted by M. Luscher as the norm for color preferences and is the standard of neuropsychic well-being.

Position meaning

In the eight positions of the rank sequence, the following relation is distinguished:

1st place: the cutest color gets the aspiration sign "+". It shows the means that the subject needs and to which he resorts to achieve the goal (for example, with the color blue: the necessary means is “peace”).

2nd place: it also has an aspiration sign “+” and shows what the goal is (for example, with the color blue: the goal to which one strives is “peace”).

3rd, 4th place: both have the "sympathy" sign "x" as a symbol of their own state. One’s own state is a person’s well-being, his opinion about his health, his disposition (for example, when the color is blue, the subject is in a calm state).

5th, 6th place: it has the sign of "indifference" "=". Indifference shows that this color and property are neither confirmed nor rejected, they are indifferent. For the subject, this color and property are temporarily lost, abolished, they seem to “float in the air.” Those. indifferent color is irrelevant, perceived at the moment as an indifferent, unrealizable property, which, however, can be actualized if necessary. (For example, if the color blue occupies a place with the sign of indifference, then peace is currently irrelevant, but restless irritability may suddenly set in).

7.8th place: Both colors have a "-" sign as an indicator of "rejection". Colors that the subject rejects as unattractive express a need that, due to expediency, is inhibited, because spontaneous satisfaction of this need has negative consequences. (For example, if the color blue is in eighth place, then the need for “peace” exists but cannot be satisfied in the current situation, since the subject believes that calming down means aggravating the unfavorable state of affairs).

5. Analysis

Brief interpretation of the meanings of eight colors (according to Luscher).

Grey(0). Separating, fencing off, freeing from obligations, sheltering from external causes and influences. His presence in the first positions is compensatory (due to lack of involvement). In the last positions, 0 means involvement, participation, responsibility. Colors located in front of the 0th, if it itself has moved to the 2nd or 3rd position, indicate exaggerated behavior and a lack of balance between the preferred colors, which carry a conflict load, and other devalued needs. If there are three colors 340 in the first positions (says Luscher), then “a shutdown has occurred, and the expansion of the field of activity will only be compensatory. The subject feels lost and nothing matters to him anymore.” The average gray position is 6th, but moves to 5th or 7th are not significant. In conditions of fatigue and stress, 0 moves to the beginning of the row.

Blue(1) It means calmness and tranquility of feelings (which, as already mentioned, is very controversial), reveals sensitivity and vulnerability (which is true, but contradicts the above). Reveals sensitivity, trust, self-sacrifice, devotion. His movement to the last position of the row reveals dissatisfaction with emotional relationships. The first one rejected (-1) means “breaking the bonds” or the desire to break them. The combination +3-1 means a method of action when the feeling of dissatisfaction is compensated by the expansion of sexual contacts (Don Juan syndrome). The combination +4-1 is interpreted as a tireless search for a way out of an unsatisfactory situation. Emotional tension is revealed by moving 1 color to a position other than the first 3.

Green(2) According to Luscher, this is the color of elastic (elastic) tension; it reveals perseverance, determination, resistance to change, and constancy of views. Possession is considered as a variant of self-affirmation “Green tension is like a dam behind which excitement accumulates without receiving a release.” Preference for green color reveals scrupulous precision, critical analysis, logical consistency, i.e. “everything that leads to abstract formalism”, as well as the need to make an impression, to maintain one’s position. Rejection of the color green reveals the impossibility of realizing these needs, the desire to free oneself from interfering restrictions. Compensation of the position (-2) with red (+3) expresses maximum tension and state of arousal (4th). Compensation through +4 (“flight to freedom”) seems to be more productive, channeling arousal in the form of distracting activity. Green means tension in all positions except 2nd, 3rd and 4th.

Red(3) Symbolizes the physiological state associated with energy expenditure. Red is an expression of vitality, nervous and hormonal activity, the desire for success, the greedy desire for all the blessings of life. This is the will to win, attraction to sports, wrestling, eroticism, “willpower.” Rejection of red reveals physiological and nervous exhaustion and decreased sexual desire. Choosing red in first place means a desire for the fullness of being, leadership traits, creativity, and excited activity. Rejection of red indicates overexcitation and exhaustion, the need for protection from stimulating factors. To compensate for the choice of -3, +1 is often detected, but such a combination may reflect a tendency to cardiac disorders. Red reveals emotional-vegetative tension when it does not occupy the first three positions.

Yellow(4). Expresses unrestrained expansiveness, looseness, relaxation, variability full of joyful hopes in the absence of consistency and planning. The preference for yellow speaks of hope or expectation of great happiness aimed at the future, of the desire for something new that has not yet been formed. As a compensating color, yellow reveals impatience, superficiality, restlessness, and traits of envy. Rejection of yellow (6th, 7th or 8th place) means disappointment, a feeling of unrealistic hopes, "an attempt to protect oneself from isolation and further losses or disappointments." Compensation for rejected yellow with blue reveals “masochistic clinging” to the object of attachment. Compensation +2 -4 outlines a variant of behavior in which the desire for high social status serves as protection, and +3-4 is the search for adventure, activation of sexuality. Yellow indicates tension in all positions except 2, 3, 4 and 5

Violet(5). Contains the properties of both blue and red, unites “the victory of red and the surrender of blue, symbolizing identity, i.e. something like a mystical union; a high degree of sensitive intimacy leading to a complete fusion of subject and object, magic, magic and enchantment, the desire to delight others, the ability to intuitively and sensitively comprehend, the unreality of desires and irresponsibility." The preference for purple is typical for emotionally immature people, teenagers, and pregnant women, who become emotionally and physiologically unstable during this period. It has also been noted that people with homosexual inclinations tend to prefer the color purple, perhaps (as Luscher believes) due to the instability manifested in a peculiar sexual orientation. The need for identity and intuitive understanding is suppressed if the 5th color is in the 8th position, and is projected rather onto objects (or other objects that are inadequate to the direct need orientation, if we continue this thought), hence the basis for increased aesthetic sensitivity, the ability to estimates, to employment in a field of activity that gives freedom of creative choice. Purple is insignificant in positions 3 to 7, and in children and pregnant women - in positions 1 and 2.

Brown(6). This color symbolizes the sensual basis of sensations. In case of physical discomfort or illness, the brown color moves to the beginning of the row. The feeling of loss of roots, loss of home is also manifested by moving the brown color to the left. In the 8th position, brown symbolizes the denial of the need for relaxation and physiological satisfaction or the suppression of physiological needs. The 6th color is alarming when it does not occupy 5-7 places. Black (7th) is “no” in contrast to white’s “yes”, it is “the end beyond which there is nothing more.” 74 in one group indicate some form of extreme behavior. Black color symbolizes refusal, complete renunciation or rejection and has a strong influence on any color that is in the same group with it, emphasizing and enhancing the properties of this color. In the first half of the series, its presence reveals compensating behavior of an extreme type. In the first place, the color black speaks of a protest against the existing state of affairs of a person rebelling against the fate of a person who is ready to act rashly and recklessly. Black color in second place means giving up everything except what the color in 1st position symbolizes. The 7th color in the 3rd position is compensated by the colors located in the 1st and 2nd positions, the 8th position for black is statistically the most common.

Black color Black is the absolute border where life ends. Therefore, the color black expresses the idea of “nothing.” Black conveys the accumulation, defense and repression of the effects of stimuli. Therefore, black means refusal. Anyone who chooses black first wants to refuse out of wayward protest. He rebels against his fate. Black color is a negation in relation to affirmation, which reaches its highest point in white, as absolute freedom (hence impeccability). The banners of anarchist and nihilistic unions have always been black. The one who chooses black as the second most important color believes that he can give up everything if he can force what the color expresses in first place before black. If, for example, the color red comes first, then unbridled experiences should compensate for deprivation. If the color blue is in front of the black color, then peace without tension should recreate the destroyed harmony. If there is a gray color in front of the black color, then complete fencing should help overcome the unbearable condition. The one for whom black is the least pleasant color, as is the case most often according to statistics, does not want to refuse. For him, refusal means deprivation and frightening scarcity. Since he can hardly refuse, he avoids the danger of raising the demand.

6 . So, the study showed that the color selection method is a very subtle psychodiagnostic tool, especially effective in studying unconscious tendencies and state dynamics. Regardless of the characteristics of the population being examined, the technique allows us to better understand the outline of emotional experiences in patients with borderline mental disorders. But it is also important to emphasize that the technique reveals not just a state in connection with a particular situation, but a state as a reaction to this situation of a particular individual within the framework of his inherent type of response.

The Luscher color test is based on the assumption that the choice of color often reflects the subject’s focus on a certain activity, mood, functional state and the most stable personality traits. Developed by M. Lüscher, the first edition of the test was published in 1948. Also known as the Luscher Eight-Color Test.

Purpose of the technique

Luscher color diagnostics allows you to measure a person’s psychophysiological state, his resistance to stress, activity and communication abilities. The Luscher test allows you to determine the causes of psychological stress, which can lead to the appearance of physiological symptoms.

Advantages of the technique

Each of the eight colors of the test was carefully selected according to its special psychological and physiological meaning - its structure - for this purpose, preliminary experiments were carried out over five years with 4500 shades of colors. Their meaning is universal, it remains the same for different countries, does not depend on age, the same for men and women, educated and uneducated, or “civilized” and “uncivilized.” Many people are prejudiced against “psychological tests” primarily if they have to answer countless, time-consuming questions or if they are forced to sort through a lot of cards. Experience with the Luscher test shows that the number of those who do not accept it is very small. The test is attractive, it can be completed quickly, and the test takers do not feel that they are compromising their dignity by choosing colors. Perhaps they would change their minds if they knew how revealing the test really is.

History of creation

The first edition of the test, which brought the author worldwide fame, was published in 1948. In 1970, M. Luscher released a voluminous manual for his test. The theory and practice of the method are also presented in such books by Luscher as “Personality Signals”, “The Four-Color Man”, etc.

Adaptations and Modifications

The color selection method proposed by L.N. Sobchik is an adapted version of the Luscher color test. The method is intended to study unconscious, deep-seated problems of personality, current state, basic needs, individual style of experience, type of response and degree of adaptation of the subject. In addition, it allows us to identify a person’s compensatory capabilities and assess the severity of painfully acute character traits and clinical manifestations.

Theoretical (methodological) foundations

The development of the Luscher test is based on a purely empirical approach and is initially associated with the aim of studying the emotional and physiological state of a person for the purpose of a differentiated psychotherapeutic approach and to assess the effectiveness of corrective action. The technique is devoid of any serious theoretical justification, hints of which appeared only in the later works of both Luscher himself and his followers. The interpretive approach of the methodology, which is very eclectic, is based on the socio-historical symbolism of flowers, elements of psychoanalysis and psychosomatics. The experience of using the Luscher eight-color test in domestic conditions not only confirmed its effectiveness, but also made it possible to comprehend its phenomenology in the context of the modern scientific worldview. Its advantage over many other personality tests is that it is devoid of cultural and ethnic basis and does not provoke (unlike most other, especially verbal tests) reactions of a defensive nature. The technique reveals not only the conscious, subjective attitude of the subject to color standards, but mainly his unconscious reactions, which allows us to consider the method as deep, projective.

Method structure

The Luscher test in the original is presented in two versions: a full study using 73 color tables and a short test using an eight-color series. The first of them is quite cumbersome and is most likely of value in cases where the color test is the only tool for psychodiagnostic research. At the same time, the final result of the research is not so extensive information compared to the time and effort spent. The brevity and ease of use of the eight-color range is a great advantage of the shortened version, especially since when applied to a battery of test methods, the reliability of the data obtained increases. Full version of the Luscher test

The full version of the CTL - “Clinical Color Test” consists of 7 color tables:

"gray"
"8 colors"
"4 primary colors"
"of blue color"
"Green colour"
"Red"
"yellow color"

To table 1“gray color” includes - medium gray (0; it is similar to gray from the 8-color table), dark gray (1), black (2; similar to 7 from the 8-color table), light gray (3) and white (4).

table 2 The full version is similar to the 8-color table of the short version of the Luscher test.

Table 3: dark blue (I1), blue-green (D2), red-yellow (O3) and yellow-red (P4). Each color is presented in the table 3 times (as well as the colors of subsequent tables) for the purpose of pairwise comparison of colors by the subjects. The colors are similar to the 4 “primary” tones in Table 2.

Table 4: dark blue (I1), green-blue (D2), blue-red (O3), light blue (P4). In this table, the dark blue color (I1) is similar to the dark blue in tables 2 and 3. The use of the same color (“main”) in several CTL tables allows, from Luscher’s point of view, to more deeply study the subject’s attitude towards it .

Table 5: brown-green (I1), blue-green (D2), green (O3) and yellow-green (P4). Here, for the third time, blue-green (D2) is present.

Table 6: brown (I1), red-brown (D2), red-yellow (O3), orange (P4). The first of these colors is similar to 6 from Table 2, and red-yellow (O3) appears the 3rd time.

Table 7: light brown (I1), green-yellow (D2), orange with a greater proportion of red (O3) and yellow-red (P4). In the last CTL table, the yellow-red color (P4) is repeated for the third time.

CTL colors, starting in Table 4, refer to specific “color columns.” There are four of them - according to the number of “primary” colors. The “blue” column (I1) includes colors designated I1, the “green” (D2) column - D2; “red” (O3) - O3; “yellow” (P4) - P4. Short version of the Luscher test

The short version is a table of eight colors:

gray (conditional number - 0)
dark blue (1)
blue-green (2)
red-yellow (3)
yellow-red (4)
red-blue or purple (5)
brown (6)
black (7)

Procedure

The examination procedure proceeds as follows: the subject is asked to choose the most pleasant color from the tables laid out in front of him, without correlating it with the color of the clothes (does it suit the face), or with the upholstery of the furniture, or with anything else, but only in accordance with the fact that how much we prefer this color in comparison with others for a given choice and at the moment.

When laying out color standards in front of the subject, you should use an indifferent background. The lighting should be uniform and bright enough (it is better to conduct the study in daylight). The distance between color tables must be at least 2 cm. The selected standard is removed from the table or turned face down. In this case, the psychologist writes down the number of each selected color standard. The recording goes from left to right. The numbers assigned to the color standards are as follows: dark blue - 1, blue-green - 2, orange-red - 3, yellow - 4, purple - 5, brown - 6, black - 7, gray - 0.

Instructions (for a psychologist)

Shuffle the colored cards and place them with the colored surface facing up. Ask the subject to choose from eight colors the one he likes best. In this case, it must be explained that he must choose the color as such, without trying to correlate it with his favorite color in clothes, eye color, etc. The test subject must select the most pleasant Color out of eight. The card with the selected color should be set aside, turning the colored side down. Ask to choose the most pleasant one from the remaining seven colors. The selected card should be placed with the colored side down to the right of the first one. Repeat the procedure. Rewrite the card numbers in laid out order. After 2-3 minutes, place the cards again with the color side up and do the same. At the same time, explain that the subject should not remember the order of the layout in the first choice and consciously change the previous order. He should choose colors as if for the first time.

Processing the results

The first choice in the Luscher test characterizes the desired state, the second - the actual one. Depending on the purpose of the study, the results of the relevant testing can be interpreted.

As a result of testing, we get eight positions:

the first and second are a clear preference (denoted by + +);
third and fourth - preference (denoted x x);
fifth and sixth - indifference to color (indicated by = =);
seventh and eighth - antipathy to color (indicated - -)

Based on an analysis of more than 36,000 research results, M. Luscher gave an approximate description of the selected positions:

1st position - the color you like the most, indicates the main method of action, i.e. a means to achieve the goals facing the subject.
2nd position - usually the color in this position is also indicated by a “+” sign, and in this case it means the goal that the subject is striving for.
3rd and 4th positions - usually the colors in these positions are indicated by the sign “x” and indicate the true state of affairs, situation or course of action arising from this situation (for example, the blue color in this case will mean - the subject feels that he is in a calm environment or that the situation demands that he act calmly).
5th and 6th positions - colors located in these positions and indicated by the “=” sign indicate specific features that do not cause hostility, are not associated with the existing state of affairs, currently unused reserves, personality traits.
7th and 8th positions - the color in these positions, marked with a “-” sign, means the existence of a suppressed need or a need that should be suppressed because its implementation would lead to unfavorable results.

Election markings

When reselecting colors, if two or more colors change position, but still remain near the color that was their neighbor in the first choice, then the group exists, and it is this group of colors that should be circled and marked with the sign corresponding to the function. Very often these groups differ somewhat from simple grouping into pairs.

Example:

1st choice - 31542607

2nd choice - 35142670

Grouping is done as follows:

3	1	5	4	2	6	0	7
3	(5 1)		(4 2 6)			(7 0)
+	X	X	=	=	=	-	-

When making notes in the protocol of such a test, you should be guided by the following: rules:

The first group (or one digit) is marked “+”.
The second group (or one digit) is marked with an "x".
The last group (or one digit) is marked “-”.
All other colors are marked with a “=” sign.

Where there are pairs of colors, interpretation should be made using these rather than individual colours.

Sometimes the same colors will have different symbols on the 1st and 2nd choices. In this case, each choice should be marked separately:

+	+	X	=	=	-	-	-
5	1	3	4	2	6	0	7
3	5	1	4	2	7	6	0
+	X	X	=	=	=	-	-

Usually the second choice is more spontaneous and therefore more valid than the first, especially in cases of doubt. In this regard, when using tables, you should first take into account the grouping and notes made during the second choice.

It may turn out that some numbers are common to two functional groups and then both groups should be interpreted with the corresponding notes in the protocol:

+	+					-	-
+	X	X	=	=	=	=	-
5	1	3	4	0	6	2	7	1st choice
3	1	5	4	0	7	2	6	2nd choice
+	+	X	=	=	=	=	-

In this case, you need to look at the following groups in the tables: +3+1, x1x5, =4=0, -2-6 (there are also additional groups: +3-6 and +3-2).

Interpretation of results

One of the techniques for interpreting the selection results is to evaluate the position of the primary colors. If they occupy a position further than the fifth, it means that the properties and needs they characterize are not satisfied, therefore, there is anxiety and a negative state. .

The relative position of the primary colors is considered. When, for example, No. 1 and 2 (blue and yellow) are located nearby (forming a functional group), their common feature is emphasized - the subjective orientation “inward”. The combined position of colors No. 2 and 3 (green and red) indicates autonomy, independence in decision-making, and initiative. The combination of colors No. 3 and 4 (red and yellow) emphasizes the “outward” direction. The combination of colors No. 1 and 4 (blue and yellow) enhances the representation of the subjects’ dependence on the environment. When colors No. 1 and 3 (blue and red) are combined in one functional group, a favorable balance of dependence on the environment and subjective orientation (blue) and autonomy, “outward” orientation (red) is emphasized. The combination of green and yellow colors (No. 2 and 4) is considered as a contrast between the subjective desire “inward”, autonomy, stubbornness and the desire “outward”, dependence on the environment.

Primary colors, according to Max Luscher, symbolize the following psychological needs:

No. 1 (blue) - the need for satisfaction, tranquility, stable positive attachment;
No. 2 (green) - the need for self-affirmation;
No. 3 (red) - the need to actively act and achieve success;
No. 4 (yellow) - the need for perspective, hopes for the best, dreams.

If the primary colors are in the 1st - 5th positions, it is believed that these needs are satisfied to a certain extent and are perceived as being satisfied; if they are in the 6th - 8th positions, there is some kind of conflict, anxiety, dissatisfaction due to unfavorable circumstances. A rejected color can be seen as a source of stress. For example, the rejected blue color means dissatisfaction with the lack of peace and affection.

Max Lüscher took into account the possibilities of assessing performance during the analysis of color choice based on the following premises.

Green color characterizes the flexibility of volitional manifestations in difficult operating conditions, which ensures the maintenance of performance.
Red color characterizes willpower and a feeling of satisfaction with the desire to achieve a goal, which also helps maintain performance.
Yellow color protects hopes for success, spontaneous satisfaction from participation in an activity (sometimes without a clear understanding of its details), and orientation towards further work.

If all these three colors are at the beginning of the row and all together, then more productive activity and higher performance are likely. If they are in the second half of the row and separated from each other, the prognosis is less favorable.

Anxiety indicators. If the main color is in 6th place, it is indicated by the sign -, and all the others that are behind it (7th - 8th positions) are indicated by the same sign. They should be considered as rejected colors, as a cause of anxiety and a negative state.

In the Luscher test, such cases are additionally marked with the letter A above the color number and the sign -, for example: Compensation indicators. If there is a source of stress or anxiety (expressed by any primary color placed in the 6th and 8th positions), the color placed in the 1st position is considered as an indicator of compensation (compensating motive, mood, behavior). In this case, the letter C is placed above the number occupying 1st place. It is considered a more or less normal phenomenon when compensation occurs due to one of the primary colors. At the same time, the very fact of the presence of an indicator of stress and compensation always indicates a suboptimal state. In those cases where compensation occurs through additional colors, the test results are interpreted as indicators of a negative state, negative motives, and a negative attitude towards the surrounding situation.

!	!!	!!!
A	A	A
2	1	4

Indicators of anxiety intensity are characterized by the position occupied by the primary colors. If the primary color is in 6th place, the factor causing anxiety is considered relatively weak (this is indicated by one exclamation point); if the color is in the 7th position, two exclamation marks are placed (!!); if the main color is in the 8th position, three signs (!!!) are placed. In this way, up to 6 signs can be placed characterizing sources of stress and anxiety, for example:

Similarly, the Lüscher test evaluates cases of adverse compensation. If the compensation is any of the primary colors or purple, no marks are placed. If gray, brown or black occupy the 3rd position, one exclamation mark is placed; if the 2nd position, two marks (!!), if the first position, three marks (!!!). So there can be 6 of them, for example:

!!!	!!	!
WITH	WITH	WITH
+	+	+
6	0	7

It is believed that the more “!” signs, the more unfavorable the prognosis. Taking into account the test results obtained, it is advisable to organize activities for the regulation and self-regulation of mental states and autogenic training. Repeated testing after such events (in combination with other methods) can provide information about reducing anxiety and tension.

Of particular importance when interpreting test results is the assessment of the color in the last 8th position (or in the 4th functional group if there are two colors with a “-” sign). If the colors in this position are marked with exclamation marks, then the likelihood of the subject developing a state of anxiety is quite high.

Pay attention to the ratio of the first and eighth positions, is there compensation, is it built according to a normal scheme?

The relationship of colors in the second and third positions (desired goal and actual situation) can also be analyzed. Is there any conflict between them? For example, red in the second and gray in the third position symbolize the conflict between goals, motives and self-esteem of one’s actual state. When analyzing and interpreting the results of the Luscher test, the obtained psychodiagnostic information should be compared with materials from questionnaires, observations, conversations, and study of documents about the subjects. Only with such a comprehensive study of personality can one make any serious conclusions about personality traits and its psychological characteristics.

The same should be said about the prospects for using test results to assess state, in particular emotional state, tension, and anxiety. However, the coincidence of the indicators of the color test (choice of colors No. 6, 7, 0 in the first position) and the data from the questionnaire and observation allows us to judge with greater confidence the development of various negative states in the subjects.

Stimulus material

Cards

Literature

Lusher M. The color of your character. - M.: Veche, Perseus, AST, 1996.
Luscher M. Personality assessment through color choice

The eight-color Luscher test is a fairly effective tool that allows you to analyze the current psychological state of an individual, his motives, aspirations, problems and advantages. A color test can be a good employee tool, as it has a number of very significant advantages and eliminates manipulation on the part of the applicant. How to conduct the Luscher color test, what decodings it has and what types of this test there are should be known to every effective personnel officer.

Luscher test - what is it, its types

Developed by Swiss psychologist Max Lüscher in the 50s of the 21st century, the color test named after him has now become one of the most popular methods of psychological testing, used in various areas of life. The use of this psychological method is also relevant. However, not every employer knows exactly how to use this technique for HR specialists.

Before considering the direct application of the Luscher test in employment, it should be noted that Max Luscher published various versions of color testing. Thus, we can note the presence of the following variations of such an analysis of a person’s psychological state using color tools:

Full Luscher test. It was published in three different brochures, each containing 30 cards, with certain differences between editions.
Luscher color and shape test. This option has 14 cards - 7 colors and shapes each.
Luscher color choice. This version of the test is presented in the form of 16 cards.
Luscher colors. This test contains a set of only five cards.
Luscher typogram. This test uses only four different colors.
Luscher cubes. This test uses special multi-colored cubes.
Luscher diagnostics. This technique uses 40 different cards.
Extended Luscher test, which uses 88 different colors and shades.
Eight-color Luscher tests. This test has been republished several times and is the most popular, as it combines a fairly simple decoding technique with acceptable accuracy for assessment.

As can be understood from the above list, the eight-color Luscher test is the most popular outside of psychology and psychiatry. In the vast majority of cases, it is used to test a candidate when applying for a job. Next, we will consider the application of this option in personnel matters.

How to use the Luscher test when applying for a job

To use the Luscher test when employing new candidates, it is necessary to prepare the actual tools necessary to conduct the test. It should consist of eight cards having the following colors:

Blue (1).
Blue-green (2).
Orange-red (3).
Yellow (4).
Purple (5).
Brown (6).
Black (7).
Gray (0).

You should mix these cards, place them in random order on the table, and invite the applicant to choose, without hesitation, the one whose color he likes best. Then this procedure is repeated until the last card. The order in which colors are selected must be recorded. Next, the cards are shuffled, laid out again, and the subject must take this test again.

The subject should be warned that he should not attempt to repeat the results of the first test. To complicate the possible duplication of results, you can use techniques for alternately selecting the most pleasant and unpleasant colors.

The applicant should also be warned in advance that he should not choose colors based on trends, the colors of his clothes, or the company’s symbols, but make a choice as quickly as possible, guided by his first desire.

The method for recording the results is as follows:

The first two positions are marked as “+ +” - the most liked colors.
The third and fourth symbolize preference and are marked "x x".
The fifth and sixth are fixed with the symbols “= =” and indicate indifference.
The seventh and eighth positions are the colors the applicant least liked, mean antipathy and are marked as “- -”.

Each color has a numerical designation given above in the list of colors used in the test. An example of recording one study can be expressed using a simple table:

+	+	X	X	=	=	—	—
3	1	4	5	0	7	6	2

Advantages and disadvantages of the Luscher test when assessing candidates

The Luscher test is a very effective way to determine the general psychological portrait of an employee and gives fairly accurate results in most cases. The peculiarities of its use during employment make it possible to determine the personal qualities of a candidate with fairly high accuracy. In addition, the advantages of the Luscher color test include its other characteristic features:

However, in addition to the above advantages, this test also has certain disadvantages:

Vague wording. Many of the standard test transcripts have rather ambiguous wording, which does not make it possible to most fully reveal the applicant’s indicators that are important to the employer.
Low evidence base. Some psychoanalysts and psychologists believe that this test does not have an extensive evidence base, but Max Luscher himself cited a fairly large number of objective studies of it.

More extensive Luscher tests, including a larger number of cards, make it possible to conduct a much deeper and more accurate analysis. However, on the other hand, they also require deeper training of the HR employee to accurately interpret the results obtained.

Decoding the Luscher color test

The first four colors, which are the primary colors, have the greatest significance in the Luscher test. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to pay attention to their position. The interpretation of these colors is as follows:

Blue – calm, stability, stable positive connections.
Green – self-affirmation, self-confidence.
Red – activity, self-realization.
Yellow – creativity, focus on the future.

The presence of these colors in the first positions indicates the satisfaction of the needs associated with these colors, and their presence in the 6th, 7th and 8th positions indicates the presence of certain problems in the employee - they are indicators of anxiety and rejection of the values displayed by the color. The easiest way to conduct a final assessment of the applicant is by examining color pairs in the first and last positions.

Color pairs in positions “+ +” in the Luscher test

When assessing positive positions, the first color of a color pair is of great importance, and it is on this principle that interpretations of possible results are grouped.

The first color is blue

Blue and green. They indicate the employee’s satisfaction with current circumstances, his stability, but also his reluctance to experience stress and participate in conflicts.
Blue and red. This combination indicates that the applicant is quite active, but needs appropriate treatment from management and colleagues, encouragement and emphasizing his importance.
Blue and yellow. This color pair reveals the employee’s high potential, his activity and initiative, but subject to adequate remuneration.
Blue and purple. This pair reflects that the employee has poor stress resistance, but at the same time his creative aspirations are at a high level.
Blue and brown. Such an employee is not suitable for work that requires taking responsibility - he will strive to avoid it.
Blue and black. This combination is typical of lazy and risk-averse workers.
Blue and grey. This combination indicates the candidate’s fatigue and the need for rest.

The first color is green

Green and blue. In this case, the employee is active and strives for career growth and professional development.
Green and red. This combination is characteristic of independent workers who can take responsibility and make effective decisions.
Green and yellow. This combination marks applicants who overestimate their capabilities and at the same time strive to achieve a high status.
Green and purple. This color combination indicates sensitive workers who will not be able to work effectively with people in conflict situations.
Green and brown. These individuals are more prone to depression and decreased productivity during work, but do not notice their mistakes.
Green and black. This combination is typical for people who are prone to authoritarian methods of activity.
Green and gray are a neutral combination, marking employees who are focused on career growth without the prerequisites for it.

The first color is red

Red and blue. Represents proactive employees who are effective when working with clients and in leadership positions.
Red and green. Characterizes people who cope well with difficult and non-trivial tasks.
Red and yellow. Active workers who have fairly high levels of communication skills and initiative, especially in conditions that do not involve high responsibility.
Red and purple. This color characterizes workers who are often carried away by one idea, which makes them effective in monotonous work, but unsuitable for frequently changing tasks.
Red and brown. This color combination reflects extremely uninitiative people who can still be good performers if they are not given responsibility.
Red and black. This color combination is characterized by people who are often prone to aggression and continued conflicts.
Red and grey. This combination implies a high, and not always justified, risk predisposition of the candidate.

The first color is yellow

Yellow and blue. The applicant in this situation is dominated by positive emotions, he will complement any team well and has significant sociability.
Yellow and green. This combination is characterized by high efficiency and punctuality in solving assigned tasks.
Yellow and red. These colors are typical for people with a high level of business activity and multitasking.
Yellow and purple. This combination is most often characteristic of people who are prone to increased excitability and bright events; they will be good in positions related to active work with clients and creativity.
Yellow and brown. This color combination distinguishes individuals who have a negative perception of working in a team.
Yellow and black. Job seekers who choose this combination often tend to make irrational decisions.
Yellow and grey. Employees who perform well in stressful situations, but are ineffective in stable work.

The first color is purple

Purple and blue. These colors mark stable, not too active workers who are not prone to displaying both positive and negative qualities.
Purple and green. This combination is typical for suspicious people who are attentive to details.
Purple and red. This category of employees may experience significant impairment when exposed to distractions.
Purple and yellow. With this color combination, applicants are often prone to active, but not always productive, communication.
Purple and brown. Applicants who choose these colors as their first ones are characterized by a high level of emotional instability.
Purple and black. Candidates who choose these colors will have little initiative and poor motivation in their work activities.
Purple and gray. This combination of colors distinguishes workers who avoid any tasks beyond the scope of their direct duties.

The first color is brown

Brown and blue. With this color combination, the future employee will experience stress when working away from the team.
Brown and green. Employees with this color combination tend to be overly attentive and fearful of mistakes, which can reduce productivity. But such workers are really less likely to make mistakes.
Brown and red. Workers with the dominant colors of this pair tend to be cyclical - their productivity regularly fluctuates both up and down.
Brown and yellow. Job seekers who choose these two colors have extremely low motivation and interest in work.
Brown and purple. This color combination is typical for passive employees who are rarely inclined to change activities.
Brown and black. People who actively avoid work most often associate themselves with this color combination.
Brown and grey. This combination is typical for people who shift their responsibility to others.

The first color is black

Black and blue. This combination indicates the employee’s desire to get away from any tasks, doing only the bare minimum.
Black and green. These colors indicate the applicant’s high level of conflict and frequent displays of aggression.
Black and red. This color combination indicates the explosive nature of the candidate, which can be expressed both in constant conflicts and in a quick search for solutions.
Black and yellow. Persons with these primary colors are prone to fatalism and exaggeration of their own mistakes.
Black and purple. This color combination reflects increased resistance to stress with low self-esteem, which can have a negative impact when occupying a leadership position.
Black and brown. With such a combination, the future employee will often set himself impossible tasks.
Black and grey. These colors characterize antisocial workers who do not respect colleagues and superiors.

The first color is grey.

Gray and blue. The dominant colors of this pair indicate the employee's desire for stability as a regular performer.
Gray and green. These colors are characteristic of people who oppose themselves to the team, which can have both a positive and negative impact on work.
Gray and red. Job seekers who choose these colors often set inadequate expectations for others, which makes them very ineffective leaders.
Gray and yellow. The dominant motivation in the actions of such people is the desire to hush up existing problems.
Gray and purple. Calm workers who can sometimes become conflicted due to prolonged nervous tension.
Gray and brown. These colors characterize uninitiative workers who are ineffective in solving complex and important problems.
Gray and black. With this color combination, the employee makes irrational decisions in case of increased stress, but in the absence of it can easily cope with responsibilities.

Positions “- -” in the Luscher color test and their interpretation

When assessing an employee, it is necessary to pay attention not only to the first positions, which show the employee’s commitment to certain behavioral models, but also to the last, unloved colors, which reflect the employee’s antipathy to various social models of behavior and ranges of tasks.

The first color is blue

The first color is green

Green and blue. This combination indicates low self-esteem of the applicant - his potential is higher than it seems.
Green and red. These colors indicate the applicant’s initial disposition to oppose himself to the team, which can lead to conflicts within it.
Green and yellow. With these colors in the last positions, the employee often demonstrates irritability in communication, so he will not be suitable for positions that require social skills.
Green and purple. This combination is typical of people who evaluate colleagues and clients by their social status and build relationships accordingly.
Green and brown. These workers may be characterized by high responsibility and a tendency to self-control, including excessive self-control.
Green and black. These workers are ambitious, but significantly reduce productivity if career advancement is impossible.
Green and grey. With this color combination, the future employee will be very soft and pliable, prone to a conciliatory position.

The first color is red

Red and blue. These colors are most often chosen as their least favorite by people who devote too much time to their personal lives, which can affect their work productivity.
Red and green. This combination may indicate the employee’s lack of a clear assessment of himself as a professional - it can be either overestimated or underestimated.
Red and yellow. Careerists and suspicious people who can ruin relationships in a team most often wear these colors as the most unpleasant ones.
Red and purple. This combination is typical for employees who are dependent on the team - they will fully correspond to their colleagues in most issues.
Red and brown. This combination is typical for people who experience increased emotionality and a desire for relationships with the opposite sex at work.
Red and black. These colors are characteristic of workers who avoid the help of colleagues, even when solving complex problems and are unable to cope on their own.
Red and grey. Employees who choose these unloved colors do not expect promotion or career growth, which means they will not be interested in the corresponding motivation.

The first color is yellow

Yellow and blue. A similar combination of colors in this position marks the employee’s secrecy and unsociability.
Yellow and green. These colors characterize the applicant as an indecisive person prone to low motivation.
Yellow and red. These colors are most often characterized by people with a high level of unfounded claims towards others and who are prone to complaints - both to colleagues and to their superiors.
Yellow and purple. This color combination in the last position characterizes emotionally negative people who are focused on their own problems, rather than the problems of the enterprise.
Yellow and brown. With such flowers, one should expect the employee to have a penchant for money-grubbing and inflated demands, up to the risk of illegal enrichment.
Yellow and black. This color combination is typical for restless people who are not aware of their place in the enterprise and are constantly inclined to look for a new job.
Yellow and grey. A combination typical of poor performers but good leaders, these people can often only work if they have high responsibility.

The first color is purple

Purple and blue. These people often become unspoken leaders in the team, but they are of little concern about their administrative status.
Purple and green. These colors are typical for workers who cannot work effectively without feeling important to the business.
Purple and red. These colors in this combination with the position can indicate the desire of employees for impulsive actions and decisions without additional control.
Purple and yellow. This combination of colors is definitely typical for people who are meticulous about work tasks and put them above the team.
Purple and brown. This color combination indicates the employee’s learning difficulties.
Purple and black. Workers with these colors in the last positions are extremely straightforward and prone to honesty, even when it is not needed.
Purple and gray. These colors in the last position are typical for people with equanimity of character and almost perfect self-control.

The first color is brown

Brown and blue. This combination is typical for employees who are highly dependent on motivation - the higher it is, the higher their productivity will be.
Brown and green. These workers are often very detail-oriented and are particularly well suited for routine, precise work without customer contact.
Brown and red. This combination characterizes job seekers who are prone to workaholism and overwork, even in the absence of an objective need.
Brown and yellow. This combination of colors in the last positions indicates the employee’s desire for wishful thinking in all aspects of the relationship.
Brown and purple. These colors may indicate an employee’s desire for harmony and a high level of complaints about ineffective colleagues or decisions.
Brown and black. This combination in the last position means rebellion and rejection of management by an employee with the ability to rally a team around him.
Brown and grey. Such employees do not accept routine work and the absence of any additional corporate tools for motivation and interaction with colleagues.

The first color is black

Black and blue. This combination reveals that an employee has gaps in qualifications with a good level of learning and a desire to fill them.
Black and green. The indicated colors may indicate low productivity of the employee in the presence of strict frameworks and high productivity in the absence of them.
Black and red. Candidates who choose these colors in the last positions tend to make decisions aimed at their personal enrichment, rather than at the economic benefit of the employer.
Black and yellow. Such colors can symbolize the employee’s inability to make compromise decisions and the desire for idealism and perfectionism.
Black and purple. This combination of the latest colors is uniquely characteristic of executive employees who enjoy the task at hand.
Black and brown. Characteristic of people who derive satisfaction from an informal environment and do not work well in a strict corporate culture.
Black and grey. This combination indicates the presence of problems in completing the assigned tasks.

The first color is gray

Gray and blue. These employees are constantly stressed and do not like their work - their motivation lies only in the desire for self-sufficiency.
Gray and green. This combination indicates the employee’s low interest in receiving money - they are interested in other aspects of work activity.
Gray and red. These colors in the last positions are typical for people who are not adapted to work in an unstable environment.
Gray and yellow. Such workers are not confident in their own abilities and can often clarify all the nuances of their work with colleagues and superiors.
Gray and purple. Workers who choose these colors as their least favorite ones perform well in solving all tasks, especially those associated with high workload.
Gray and brown. If an employee has chosen these colors as his least favorite, then he can perform well provided that clients, colleagues and superiors treat him with respect.
Gray and black. It is typical for extremely creative, proactive and active employees who can easily earn a promotion and strive for development.

Since the Luscher test is carried out twice on a candidate, it is necessary to interpret his choice in the first and second tests separately. The results of the first test, obtained by combining the first and last positions, indicate the current status of the applicant. While the results of the second test demonstrate his subconscious aspirations and prospects. In this way, the personnel officer can determine not only the employee’s suitability for the position at the initial stage, but also his prospects in the future.

It is also necessary to understand that the Luscher color test allows not only to determine the personal qualities of an employee, but also makes it possible to immediately understand the possible leverage and motivation of the applicant, which can significantly increase his usefulness for the enterprise. Ignoring these aspects can lead to the uselessness of the test for many variants of results.

In addition, the test results should be compared with other factors when hiring a person. Since the test does not provide an opportunity to assess professional skills, these should also be taken into account. For example, by selecting candidates using the funnel method.

Luscher color test

How to pass the Luscher test correctly.

The Luscher color test is increasingly used by HR specialists of employers when hiring new employees. An unprepared candidate has every chance of failing his job attempt.

Despite the fact that the Luscher test and the well-known “Polygraph” (“lie detector”) are completely different entities, they show equally accurate results with untrained subjects. The point here is that without knowledge of the methodology, it is not clear how to behave and what answers to give. But if not everyone can fight the Polygraph, then the Luscher test is quite easy to bypass.

The test methodology is based on a person’s attitude to color and, indeed, it has long been known that colors are divided into “cold” and “warm” and some of them bring us peace of mind, while others, on the contrary, irritate us. Max Lüscher devoted his entire life to researching this issue and perfecting his test.

You just need to spend a little time and study the meaning of colors, as well as the interpretation of color pairs. Perhaps someday you will be asked to arrange the color stripes of the Luscher test in order, and then you will be ready to show yourself as a morally stable, positive and promising person. Forgive me, because it is quite possible that you are exactly like this and are ready to prove it without prior preparation.

In short, the advice to a person taking the Luscher test can be formulated as follows: primary colors (such as blue - symbolizes calmness, contentment; blue-green - a sense of confidence, perseverance, sometimes stubbornness; orange-red - symbolizes willpower, aggressiveness, offensive tendencies, excitement ; light yellow - activity, desire to communicate, expansiveness, cheerfulness.) should occupy predominantly the first five positions, and additional colors: purple; brown, black, gray. (symbolizing negative tendencies: anxiety, stress, fear, grief) should be distributed at the end of your choice.

Luscher test

Purple is characteristic of a person who has some shifts in thinking, oddities in character, and may also have problems in the sexual sphere;
Brown - means that the person has some unresolved internal conflicts, and also that the person may have severe, inappropriate negative behavior;
Black – speaks for itself and is characterized by fear, depression and hatred of everyone around.
Gray is a borderline color, when this color is placed in the first place, it will characterize a person as not wanting to open up, wanting to give himself away, protecting himself from others in order not to get excited. It is desirable that this color be located in the sixth to seventh position.

Three basic rules for how to pass the Luscher test correctly:

The options should not exactly repeat each other, but they should not be radically different from each other;
In the first four positions there should be four primary colors (Blue, Green, Red, Yellow); each person chooses, according to his character, which color is closer or more beautiful to him;
Answer as you think is correct, even if you manage to pass all the tests positively, at a personal interview the psychologist will reveal all your positive and negative character traits and there will be no consistency, you will be suspected of insincerity in the answers in the test and will be rejected.

Luscher test - description and interpretation

The Luscher test is based on the assumption that the choice of color often reflects the subject’s focus on a certain activity, mood, functional state and the most stable personality traits.

Foreign psychologists sometimes use the Luscher test for career guidance purposes in personnel selection, staffing production teams, and in ethnic groups; gerontological studies, with recommendations on the choice of marriage partners. The meanings of colors in their psychological interpretation were determined during a comprehensive examination of a large contingent of different subjects.

Additional colors: 5) purple; 6) brown, 7) black, 8) zero(0). They symbolize negative tendencies: anxiety, stress, fear, grief. The meaning of these colors (as well as the main ones) is determined to the greatest extent by their relative arrangement and distribution by position, which will be shown below.

Instructions (for a psychologist): “Shuffle the colored cards and place them with the color surface facing up. Ask the subject to choose from eight colors the one he likes best. In this case, it must be explained that he must choose the color as such, without trying to correlate it with his favorite color in clothes, eye color, etc. The test subject must select the most pleasant Color out of eight. The card with the selected color should be set aside, turning the colored side down. Ask to choose the most pleasant one from the remaining seven colors. The selected card should be placed with the colored side down to the right of the first one. Repeat the procedure. Rewrite the card numbers in laid out order. After 2-3 minutes, place the cards again with the color side up and do the same. At the same time, explain that the subject should not remember the order of the layout in the first choice and consciously change the previous order. He should choose colors as if for the first time.

In the Lüscher test, such cases are additionally marked with the letter A above the color number and the sign -, for example:

How to pass the Luscher color test?

Luscher Color Test

The Luscher color test is a psychological test that will allow you to find out your communication skills, basic personality traits, and also determine how susceptible you are to stress. The Luscher color test was developed in 1948. The peculiarity of the test is that you will be offered cards with different colors. Your assignment will be to arrange the colors in any order of your choice. Of course, it is better to take the test on your own and without prompting. Otherwise, the meaning of the test will be lost. If, for some reason, you want to achieve not a truthful, but an ideal result, then read the instructions.

Instructions

1 step

Numerology +

8 color Luscher test

Luscher test. How to arrange colors correctly

The Luscher test is one of the most favorite tests among psychologists. However, it is often used by employers when recruiting personnel. This is not surprising, because it carries a lot of information about a person and takes little time.

Luscher divided colors into two categories, 4 colors in each:

Primary colors - orange-red, yellow, dark blue, blue-green;
Additional colors - brown, gray, black, purple.

How to correctly arrange the colors in the test? The “autogenic norm” (correct sequence) of colors is as follows: red, yellow, green, violet, blue, brown, gray, black. But it is better not to reproduce this sequence, since it is well known to all psychologists. It's better to swap the colors a little.

By what principle should the colors be arranged? Primary colors should come first, then additional ones. And yet, knowledgeable people recommend that you never choose blue as the sixth color.

you need to go to a mental health center from work, the whole test there is passing the Luscher test for color preference,

colors red, black, purple, gray, blue brown, green, yellow

Remember, the ideal sequential order of colors to pass the Luscher test is:

Before writing the test, listen to the instructions carefully. Pretend that you are a little worried. If you are asked if you know anything about the Luscher test, answer in the negative. Say, for example, you took IQ tests, a willpower test, a personality test and others.

To successfully pass the test and not arouse the suspicion of the examiners, be sure to change the arrangement of colors from the ideal sequence.

You can change adjacent colors, but not the location of the primary colors. For example, the arrangement of colors: red and yellow, blue and purple can be changed. But, the arrangement of the colors black and green is impossible.

Since the test procedure is performed twice, in the second option you will again have to arrange the colors in any order. When choosing colors, you can choose your first sequence or change the arrangement of colors. Never start arranging colors in the reverse order.

Luscher color test. Full version of the method.

The Luscher color test is based on an experimentally established relationship between a person’s preference for certain colors (shades) and his current psychological state. The Luscher test is also based on the assumption that the choice of color often reflects the subject’s focus on a certain activity, mood, functional state and the most stable personality traits.

Luscher's technique is characterized by the fact that it can, in a short time (less than 10 minutes), give a deep and extensive, and free from the conscious control of the subject, characterization of his psychological state.

Foreign psychologists use the Luscher test for career guidance in personnel selection, staffing production teams, and in ethnic groups; gerontological studies, with recommendations on the choice of marriage partners. The meanings of colors in their psychological interpretation were determined during a comprehensive examination of a large contingent of different test takers.

Luscher color test (Full version of the method):

Choose the color that is most pleasing to you now. We ask you not to associate the color of the card with the color of your clothes or car, to distract yourself from them. Then, from the remaining seven colors, choose the most pleasant one. Repeat the procedure with the remaining six colors, then five and so on until the end. Write down the colors in the order you chose them from most pleasing to least pleasing. After 2-3 minutes, return to the 8 color cards again and do the same. In this case, you do not need to focus on the layout order in the first choice; choose colors as if it were your first time.

Characteristics of colors (according to Max Luscher) include 4 primary and 4 additional colors.

1) blue - symbolizes calmness, contentment;

2) blue-green - a sense of confidence, perseverance, sometimes stubbornness;

3) orange-red - symbolizes willpower, aggressiveness, offensive tendencies, excitement;

4) light yellow - activity, desire to communicate, expansiveness, cheerfulness.

In the absence of conflict, in the optimal state, the primary colors should occupy predominantly the first five positions.

Additional colors: 5) purple; 6) brown, 7) black, 8) gray (0). They symbolize negative tendencies: anxiety, stress, fear, grief. The meaning of these colors (as well as the main ones) is determined to the greatest extent by their relative arrangement and distribution by position, which will be shown below.

The first choice in the Luscher test characterizes the desired state, the second - the actual one. Depending on the purpose of the study, the results of the appropriate testing can be interpreted.”

As a result of testing, we get eight positions; the first and second are a clear preference (denoted by + +);

third and fourth - preference (denoted x x);

fifth and sixth - indifference to color (indicated by = =);

seventh and eighth - antipathy to color (indicated - -)

Based on an analysis of more research results, M. Luscher gave an approximate description of the selected positions:

The 1st position reflects the means to achieve the goal (for example, the choice of blue indicates the intention to act calmly, without undue tension);

The 2nd position shows the goal that the subject is striving for;

The 3rd and 4th positions characterize the preference for color and reflect the subject’s feeling of the true situation in which he finds himself, or the course of action that the situation suggests to him;

The 5th and 6th positions characterize indifference to color, a neutral attitude towards it. They seem to indicate that the subject does not connect his state, mood, motives with these colors. However, in a certain situation, this position may contain a reserve interpretation of color, for example, blue (the color of peace) is temporarily set aside as inappropriate in this situation;

The 7th and 8th positions characterize a negative attitude towards color, the desire to suppress any need, motive, mood reflected by this color.

The selected colors are recorded using a list of numbers in order of preference, indicating positions. For example, if you select red, yellow, blue, grey, green, purple, brown and black, you write:

Zones (+ +; x x; = =; - -) form 4 functional groups.

Interpretation of test results

As noted, one of the methods for interpreting the results of a choice is to evaluate the position of the primary colors. If they occupy a position further than the fifth, it means that the properties and needs they characterize are not satisfied, therefore, there is anxiety and a negative state.

Primary colors, according to Max Luscher, symbolize the following psychological needs:

No. 1 (blue) - the need for satisfaction, tranquility, stable positive attachment;

No. 2 (green) - the need for self-affirmation;

No. 3 (red) - the need to actively act and achieve success;

No. 4 (yellow) - the need for perspective, hopes for the best, dreams.

Max Lüscher took into account the possibilities of assessing performance during the analysis of color choice based on the following premises.

Green color characterizes the flexibility of volitional manifestations in difficult operating conditions, which ensures the maintenance of performance.

Red color characterizes willpower and a feeling of satisfaction with the desire to achieve a goal, which also helps maintain performance.

Yellow color protects hopes for success, spontaneous satisfaction from participation in an activity (sometimes without a clear understanding of its details), and orientation towards further work.

In the Luscher test, such cases are additionally marked with the letter A above the color number and the sign -, for example:

Compensation indicators. If there is a source of stress or anxiety (expressed by any primary color placed in the 6th and 8th positions), the color placed in the 1st position is considered as an indicator of compensation (compensating motive, mood, behavior). In this case, the letter C is placed above the number occupying 1st place. It is considered a more or less normal phenomenon when compensation occurs due to one of the primary colors. At the same time, the very fact of the presence of an indicator of stress and compensation always indicates a suboptimal state.

In those cases where compensation occurs through additional colors, the test results are interpreted as indicators of a negative state, negative motives, and a negative attitude towards the surrounding situation.

Luscher test color interpretation

Nowadays, many have heard about the impact of colors on the human psyche. Correctly selected colors help solve many problems. Thus, a competent choice of color combinations allows restaurateurs to attract customers. For many people, the right shades help create cozy room interiors. For psychological assistance to people, in personnel selection, psychologists use the Luscher test, the interpretation and analysis of which gives good results.

Characteristics of primary colors

From a layman's point of view, colors have the following meanings:

blue - promotes calm, it is associated with the sky, with seascapes. This color in excess can lead to depression, as it creates the impression of coldness. The best option is to combine deep with another color or opt for intermediate shades between blue and green;
pink - associated with youth, tenderness, femininity. The color pink is present in both the clothes of little girls and teenage girls. It is firmly entrenched in the female gender and will create a romantic atmosphere;
red is the color of activity and success. Red color stimulates the psyche. It has been found that when surrounded by a red hue, people eat faster and more. Red is the most aggressive of the colors. It is associated with the carnal joys of life. The color red is loved by the “powers that be”;
black - many associate with the unknown and death. Those who prefer to look at life gloomily try to surround themselves with this color. However, black is the color of spirituality. This is the color of the monks' clothes. For almost all people, the color black evokes thoughts about eternity, about the meaning of life. It is also the color of confidence and formality;
white is the color of virtue and spiritual purity. White color is unique and can be combined with any color. Although white is the most easily soiled of colors, it is also the purest. Perhaps for this reason it is the color of medical gowns;
yellow is the color of the sun and spirituality, joy. The influence of yellow color on a person is very great. Hidden deep in the subconscious is the connection between earthly life and the yellow disk. But this color contains duality. One side of it is warmth, the other is heat, which can seriously burn;
green is undeniably the color of rebirth. It is associated with fertility and health. Therefore, it is recommended for people subject to significant mood swings.

Characteristics of colors according to Luscher

Max Luscher divided colors into 4 primary and 4 additional.

Blue - gives satisfaction and peace.
Blue-green is confidence, perseverance, stubbornness.
Orange-red - aggressiveness, excitement, willpower.
Light yellow - cheerfulness, activity.

Additional colors include: purple, brown, black, zero. Which respectively symbolize: anxiety, stress, worries and grief.

Luscher test and interpretation

According to the Luscher test, choosing one of the primary colors will indicate the state desired by the person, choosing one of the additional colors will show the actual position of the person being tested. The result is eight positions:

the first two will show a pronounced preference, their designation is: ++;
the third, fourth will give preference (xx);
the fifth, sixth will show indifference to color (==);
the seventh, eighth will give complete antipathy to color (-).

During testing, record the selected colors using a list of numbers, in order of preference, indicating positions. The Luscher test carried out and its interpretation give the necessary values. First, the position of the primary colors is assessed; if their position is further than the fifth, it means that the person’s needs are not satisfied and there is a state of anxiety. If colors occupy positions 1 to 5, needs are more satisfied. The assessment of a person’s performance is determined by the following premises: green and red - mean the manifestation of will and performance in different conditions, yellow - reduces the hope of success, which will affect further work. If these three colors are at the beginning of the row, then productivity is really high,

if they are found - the second half of the row and the colors are separated - this indicates a possible low performance.

As a result of the interpretation of Luscher tests compared with questionnaires and conversations with a person, one can judge the character traits and characteristics of a particular individual.

How to pass the Lusher test correctly

In the Psychology section, the question you need to go through from work is a mental health clinic, the whole test there is passing the Luscher test for color preference, asked by the author of Mercurius, the best answer is Well, it depends on how much an experienced and competent specialist will test you. It is possible that the test is just an excuse to create a working environment in which you will be observed. The Luscher test is an interesting thing and quite professional. Although it is more correct to use several different tests built on different principles. But direct communication with the subject is still crucial if we are talking about individual work, and not about “measuring the average temperature in the hospital.” One of the reasons is that the test results can be faked by learning the “correct” sequence. Psychologists and psychiatrists know about this and take various measures. For example, the very fact that you have learned the correct sequence may be a sign that you are more or less sane :)

In the same Luscher test, strictly speaking, there are no “correct” answers. But a specialist can easily notice discrepancies between your behavior and the test results and will understand that he is being “led by the nose.” Depending on what goals are being pursued, this may give rise to additional questions. 🙂

In short, if a psychologist or psychiatrist is an idiot, then it doesn’t matter what you write on the test - there will still be the possibility of “cutting off” you. If he is a professional, then it also doesn’t matter what you write - he will still see who you really are. But in this case, “forgery of documents” may not work in your favor. So I still recommend taking the test “from the heart.” Moreover, this can also be useful for the “patient” - both in order to learn something new about himself, and in order to have objective material for complaints if something happens :)

Introduction

Recently, the M. Luscher test using the color range has gained wide popularity as a tool for identifying the emotional and characterological basis of a personality and the subtle nuances of its current state. The Luscher test is used in personnel selection, staffing production teams, in ethnic and gerontological studies, and in carrying out psychological diagnostics in pedagogical and medical institutions. The Luscher test belongs to the category of projective methods and is based on the assumption that preferences for some colors over others are associated with stable personal characteristics of the subject and the characteristics of his experience of the current situation.

The main advantages of this technique:

Simplicity of the task assigned to the subject;

Complete isolation from the psychological content recorded by the test;

Possibility of repeated testing of the same subject;

The test result does not depend on the accuracy of the subject’s self-assessment and his ability to verbalize his states.

It should be noted, however, that neither Luscher nor the authors of subsequent manuals on the use of the color test correctly carried out procedures for validating and checking the reliability of its work. Therefore, it is not recommended to base your judgment about the subject only on the interpretation of the color test, especially if there are discrepancies between its results and the results of other psychodiagnostic methods. The use of this test in a battery of techniques increases the reliability of the results obtained.

The full Luscher test consists of three subtests. In the first of them, the subject determines his attitude to shades of gray, in the second - to the four primary and four additional colors, and in the third - to the four primary colors, as well as their shades. In psychodiagnostic practice, the second subtest is most often used, which optimally combines the simplicity and speed of the testing procedure and the degree of information content of the results obtained. In this regard, it is the second subtest of the Luscher technique that is presented in this “Manual”.

Luscher proposed to distinguish between two points of view on color: the first - the objective meaning of color (by which he understood the physical characteristics of color and its symbolic meaning, common to all people, regardless of gender, age, social status and individual preferences) and the second - the subjective attitude of a particular the subject to this color.

Color and its objective meaning are called structure. The subjective attitude towards color (for example, sympathy, indifference, antipathy) is called a function. Structure as the objective meaning of color, like the appearance of color, is constant for each person. Luscher explained the origin of the color structure as follows.

Man has always lived surrounded by color, but for several thousand years of his history he was not able to control the colors around him. Color for a person was an external factor to which one had to react in a certain way. The dark blue color of the night sky signaled the onset of night - a time of rest, peace and security. The bright yellow color of the rising sun is the time of awakening - interest in the new day, hope. The red color of blood is the need to mobilize forces for attack or defense. Associations were formed between colors as elements of certain life situations and the psychophysiological states that were generated by these situations. The existence of such associations determined the perception of color as a signal to the nervous system about the need for a certain psychophysiological restructuring, preparing the body to face this situation. Experiments conducted by psychophysiologists confirmed that a number of physiological indicators of the subject’s state naturally change depending on what color he looks at.

Function, i.e. subjective attitude towards any color is individual for each person. One finds the color attractive, another is indifferent to it, a third dismisses it as boring, and a fourth considers it simply ugly. The function of color is formed during a person’s life and strongly depends on what a given color is associated with. So the same color can be highly rated as the color of a car and poorly rated as the color of skin, etc.

Luscher suggested that if a subject is asked to evaluate a color as such, without associating it with any things, then he will be guided by the objective structure of the color, and if the signal value of a certain color coincides with the capabilities and leading attitude of his body, then this particular color will be rated as most pleasant. The color preference test is based on these two assumptions.

The test color set consists of four primary and four secondary colors. Each color has its own serial number.

Note: Only the colors suggested by Luscher should be used as stimulus material. It should be borne in mind that the names “blue”, “gray”, etc. are very arbitrary, but the interpretation of color preferences is meaningful only when original stimuli are used. You cannot use cards made at home. In our country, the standard is considered to be stimulus material manufactured by Imaton. The products of the MP “Center for Applied Psychology” fully comply with this standard.

Primary colors and their symbolic meaning:

No. 1 - blue color. Symbolizes calm, contentment, tenderness and affection.

No. 2 - green color. Symbolizes perseverance, self-confidence, stubbornness, self-respect.

No. 3 - red. Symbolizes willpower, activity, aggressiveness, offensiveness, authority, sexuality.

No. 4 - yellow color. Symbolizes activity, desire for communication, curiosity, originality, cheerfulness, ambition.

Because the four primary colors symbolize basic psychological needs (the need for satisfaction and affection, the need for self-affirmation, the need to act and succeed, and the need to look ahead and hope), they have special meaning. And if the test is performed by a healthy, balanced person who is free from conflicts and depression, then the 4 primary colors should occupy the first five positions.

Additional colors and their symbolic meaning:

These colors symbolize negative tendencies: anxiety, stress, fear, grief. Strictly speaking, black and gray cannot be called colors at all: black is the negation of color, and gray is completely neutral and colorless. Purple is a combination of blue and red, while brown is a combination of orange-red and black, resulting in a darkish and rather lifeless color. Neither brown nor violet are psychological primaries, and they were included in the test after much trial and error. These colors should normally be in the indifferent zone or rejected. But in practice, they are often highlighted and moved to the beginning of the row due to one or more primary colors.

Another reason why additional colors were included in the test was to increase the overall utility of the test. By adding additional colors, the scope of the primary colors expands. This allows you to more accurately determine the meaning attached to placing a color in one position or another in a row.

The Luscher color test is one of the most popular projective techniques. Color psychodiagnostics, which the Luscher test allows, is aimed at effectively identifying the psycho-emotional state of people of different ages.

There is hardly a person who has not heard about the existence of a close relationship between mental state and color. Psychologists have long been looking for an effective method that would make it possible to correctly interpret the color choice of subjects, but the Swiss psychiatrist Max Lüscher was the first to do this in the middle of the last century. Today, the Luscher test is included in the arsenal of any practicing psychotherapist and is a high-quality psychodiagnostic tool. You can always take it online on our website, and also get a brief interpretation completely free of charge.

Tool for personal psychodiagnostics

The CTL (or Luscher Color Test) was first described in 1948. It immediately brought its author worldwide fame. The Luscher projective test gives an idea of a person’s propensity for a certain activity, the predominance of a particular mood, and reveals the most stable personality traits.

Whatever the therapist's goal, the Luscher Color Test requires considerable experience in interpretation. When publishing this test, the author repeatedly emphasized that this method works perfectly only when using a standardized set of color stimuli.

Unfortunately, many modern specialists in the field of psychology neglect the instructions of the test author and engage in decoding on their own. As a result, the test interpretation is often unreliable and does not inspire confidence among clients. Therefore, you need to either find a specialist who can correctly diagnose you using CTL, or take this test online, limiting yourself to a short transcript.

Short description

Specialists know two versions of the Luscher test: short and full. You can complete both of these options online on our website. CTL makes it possible to see the origins of intrapersonal conflicts and build an adequate system of psychotherapeutic influences.

Typically, this test is used to determine the psycho-emotional state of an individual. It is also effective:

The essence of testing is to rank the proposed colors based on the feeling of their pleasantness for yourself. A person must arrange all the colors one by one, starting with the most preferred one. Testing is carried out in daylight using standard stimulus material. Depending on the form of the test, a person has to choose from 8 or 48 colors. The eight-color test is the more common form, and the full version of the CTL is more often used in clinical psychotherapeutic practice.

Abridged version

Do you want to get results quickly, without a detailed analysis of your personality structure? Take the short (eight-color) version of this test! This form of CTL consists of stimulus material in the form of a set of 8 colors. Each stimulus is assigned a serial number: 0 for gray, 1 for blue, 2 for green, 3 for red, 4 for yellow, 5 for purple, 6 for brown, 7 for black. These colors are also divided into primary and secondary.

The main colors are: green, blue, red, yellow. They reflect a person’s most preferred behavior and tell about his inclinations. Most often, a person strives to place these colors in the first 5 positions, although there are a variety of options.

Additional colors include brown and purple, as well as black and gray. These colors are symbols of various negative manifestations: anxiety, fears, stress and grief. The meanings of these colors are also determined by their ranking. Usually their place (except for purple) is below position 4, but, of course, you are free to place them wherever you want.

Expanded version

If you want to get a detailed personality profile, then take the full version of the Luscher test. It consists of 48 stimuli in the form of various combinations of additional and primary colors. This allows us to study a person’s relationships in detail and conduct in-depth psychodiagnostics of his psycho-emotional state. The key to interpreting this version of CTL lies in the human subconscious.

Meaning of color stimuli

Knowing what a particular color means to a particular person, you can say a lot about him. The basic psychological characteristics of different color types very accurately reflect the personality and preferences of the subject. The color type is determined by the main preferred color, that is, they talk about a “yellow” person or, say, a “blue” person. Each color type has its own characteristics, characteristics, preferred activities, and even favorite hobbies and clothing styles. Due to its simplicity and clarity, the Luscher color test is often used as the basis for many modern tests and techniques that allow one to work with the emotional sphere of a person. Knowing a person’s color type, you can easily choose a suitable work companion, marriage or sexual partner.

Luscher's typology of “color personality” has long surpassed the test itself in popularity. It turns out that our color preferences also directly affect motivation and behavior. It has been proven that young people under 25 prefer red and yellow colors, while older people like brown, gray and green tones. These colors are also chosen by young people if they are disappointed in life, or suffer from neurosis or physical illness. Today, CTL is successfully used in their work by both family and child psychologists and psychotherapists.

At different times, the Luscher color test received a variety of reviews: from complete delight to harsh criticism. However, according to most experts, this test is one of the most valuable and interesting projective techniques.