Traffic lights and psychology

The operation of traffic lights we can deduce some human characteristics over the use of power.

I comment on something known (the lights) but to refer to something less well known (human psychology).

The red light is located at the most prestigious artifact hierarchy: top, at the head, at the top.

This light indicates prohibition, interruption, repression and human we place these actions in the most important, where are located semiotically chiefs, kings, God, the father figure.

The color red, which universally means "danger" is telling us that "it is dangerous to ignore the ban to the offender." Therefore, in subtle ways, the lights prohibited, cautions and challenge.

In short: the prohibitions are for humans hierarchically most important orders. Maybe we could infer that humans have more power who have the authority to prohibit others, to cut freedoms. In other words, impede, thwart, stop, are privileges that those who hold higher functions. Customers have also prohibit authorization to threaten, punish, punish.

In short, human beings which may prohibit, threaten and punish (as the red light), are located symbolically at the top, meaningful, valuable.

By contrast, the green light, which authorizes, but plays an important role, not as prestigious as the prohibidora. The hierarchical position within the device, is the bottom, which is below. Semiotically color green is "gracious," "tolerant," "permissive," "minimally persecution."

We could say that humans do not value (jerarquizamos) people friendly, tolerant, permissive and not frighten us.

The yellow light just comes on to warn that the green light is for off, ie, tells us that tolerance is ending circulation. By contrast, when we are warned not end intolerance.

Note: Original in Spanish (without translation by Google: Los semáforos y la psicología

(This is Article No. 1661)

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