What’s your favorite color? Many people will say blue, or red, or green, or any of the bright colors found in the rainbow. However, some people prefer the starker look of neutrals, and black is as stark as it gets.
Technically speaking, black isn’t a color at all — it’s the absence of color. Black is what you see in the absence of all visible light, or when all visible light is absorbed.
Black might not really be a color, but most people consider it to be one. And if you’re familiar with the world of color psychology, you may already know about “color personalities” — the idea that every color has a set of related personality traits. Often, your favorite color indicates your color personality.
It makes sense that someone with a red color personality is vibrant and even a little aggressive. Blue personalities tend to be tranquil and serene. But what does it mean if you have a black color personality? Let’s find out.
What’s a Black Color Personality?
Black has traditionally been associated with vampires, movie villains, and all manner of unsavory characters, so you might think that those with black color personalities are dark, even malevolent people.
However, when you think about the broader cultural associations of black, you find that it’s connected to more than just negativity — it’s also associated with luxury, sophistication, independence, and more.
That’s not to say that the black personality has only positive attributes. Like any color personality, it has its upsides and downsides. Not sure if you have a black color personality or not? Take a look at the following positive and negative characteristics and see if they fit you!
The Black Personality: Positive Traits
There’s a lot to like about black. As a color, it works well as the centerpiece of stark, minimalist aesthetics, but it’s also an excellent grounding influence on bolder, louder color schemes.
Similarly, the black color personality is versatile and quite adept at navigating a wide array of situations. Here are some of this personality’s most remarkable characteristics.
Close Attention to Detail
Black is a definitive color often used for outlining small details. So it makes sense that someone with a black personality usually pays meticulous attention to detail. This might be true in work, creative endeavors, or even when scheduling day-to-day activities.
Determination
Black is arguably the boldest color, and black color personalities are certainly bold! If you have a black personality, you are probably strong-willed and ready to work to achieve your goals.
Ambition
Black personalities also tend to be ambitious — they often have dreams of power and recognition. The color black is similarly connected to success — think of black-tie events, exclusive black credit cards for wealthy people, etc.
Mystery
Everyone loves a little bit of mystery. Darkness hides the unknown, so black has become closely connected with mystery.
But what does this look like as a personality trait? Black color personalities like to keep a little distance between themselves and other people. It might take them a while to open up to friends and loved ones. And when they do, they still might be more guarded than most people would be.
Elegance
Black has long been associated with sophistication and elegance. It’s a common color for formalwear and for designer logos. If you love black, you’re probably someone who is elegant and sophisticated (or at least someone who aspires to be).
Politeness
Black is a strong color, but it’s not a loud one. Many black color personalities have a proper, reserved, and even conservative air about them. If you’re a black personality, you’re probably very polite to everyone. You might even have an almost formal demeanor.
Independence
Black is a color that can easily stand on its own, and those with black color personalities often have a spirit of independence. They tend to know themselves well, and they don’t hesitate to pursue their dreams and goals.
Having an independent spirit doesn’t necessarily mean those with black personalities are loners (although some are). It just means that when it comes to relationships with others, black personalities maintain a healthy sense of self.
The Black Personality: Negative Traits
Although they may not be movie villains, people with black color personalities have less desirable traits as well. If you have one of these personalities, you may have noticed one or more of these negative traits in yourself.
A Need for Control
People with black personalities often have a good deal of self-control. That’s a good thing. But sometimes, they also feel the need to control outside situations and even other people. If you go through life with this mindset, you’ll probably deal with a good bit of stress — there are many, many things in life that simply can’t be controlled!
Pessimism
Black is a shade that has traditionally been associated with sadness, grief, depression, and other negative emotions. If you have a black color personality, you may have a very bleak, pessimistic outlook on life.
This type of outlook can make your life more stressful and less enjoyable, but it also may shorten it — multiple studies have found that a pessimistic outlook can significantly shorten your lifespan.
Being Too Serious
Black is a color that many of us think of as being very serious. Fittingly enough, many black personality types have a tendency to take themselves far too seriously. If you have a black color personality, you may find that you enjoy life more if you laugh at yourself every so often.
Detachment
Independence is an admirable quality. But many people with black color personalities take their independence so far that they become detached. They may hide vulnerabilities so well and set their standards so high that they have trouble forming genuine connections with other people.
Authoritarianism
Black is a color that is often strongly associated with authority. Some black color personalities naturally gain the respect of others, but others develop an authoritarian mindset. In many cases, authoritarian personalities are off-putting to others and can lead to issues at work and even in personal relationships.
What Types of Careers Are Good for Black Personalities?
People with black color personalities have attributes that can serve them well across many different fields. And while you shouldn’t let your color personality be the only thing that decides your career path, you may want to consider some of these careers that are well-suited to those with black color personalities.
Surgeon
If you’re a science-minded black personality, working as a surgeon might be for you. Surgeons need to be decisive leaders, and they also need to pay incredible attention to detail. This career isn’t for everyone, as even a seemingly small mistake can seriously injure or kill a patient. But if working as a surgeon is right for you, you’ll be able to change countless lives for the better.
Executive
Many black color personalities seek out positions of power and prestige, so working as an executive is just right. In most cases, executive careers are high-stress positions. But for the ambitious black personality, high-stress careers offer an opportunity to thrive.
College Instructor
For black color personalities who enjoy both public speaking and the pursuit of knowledge, working as a college instructor or professor is a good choice. Black personalities will enjoy the independence most college instructors have as well — in most cases, professors have the freedom to design their own syllabi, assignments, and exams.
Engineer
If you’re a black color personality looking for a challenging career, engineering is worth a look. Engineers need to be focused and meticulous, and black personalities certainly are! There’s a lot of growth potential in the field of engineering, and there’s also an opportunity to specialize: you might choose civil engineering, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, or one of many other fields.
Artist or Designer
This is a very broad career description, but creative black personalities often thrive in artistic fields. Whether they’re designing websites, writing and performing music, or creating visual art, black personalities often enjoy the challenge of chasing their artistic ambitions.
What If You Don’t Like Black?
Your favorite color may be able to offer you some unexpected insight into your personality. But did you know that colors you don’t like can do the same? Here’s what it might mean if you aren’t too fond of black.
You’re a Happy, Optimistic Person
Black is associated with many things, but optimism isn’t one of them. If you like to look at the brighter side of life, you probably prefer lighter, sunnier colors.
You’re Lighthearted
Black is also quite a serious shade, so it often doesn’t resonate with cheerful, lighthearted people.
You’re Afraid of the Dark
It’s common to be afraid of the dark in childhood. However, some people hang onto some of that fear into adulthood. If you still harbor some fear of darkness (even subconsciously), you may find that you don’t really like black.
You’re Practical and Down-to-Earth
Black is often connected to luxury and sophistication. That’s generally a good thing, but for practically-minded people, the pursuit of luxury doesn’t have much of a draw. If you’re one of these people, you might be more drawn to earthier colors like brown.
Personality Colors: A Path to Self-Discovery
Personality colors may not be an exact science, but they can be a valuable tool for understanding yourself and others. Of course, if you’re a black color personality, you may not find that every single attribute describes you. That’s absolutely fine — each one of us is different.
As you dive into the world of color personalities, you also might find that you identify with more than one. Most people do. We all have complex, multifaceted personalities, and each is reflected by a rainbow of different colors!
Learn more about other personality colors and find out what they say about people.
