"Color psychology suggests that certain colors are capable of evoking certain moods and may even have an influence over behavior and well-being.1 While color associations can be influenced by a number of different factors, including past experiences and cultural associations, some colors do tend to evoke certain moods or feelings." verywell.
The Color Psychology
Resource: Verywell By Kendra Cherry
Illustration by Cindy Chung, Verywell
3. 1
ASK YOUR SELF?
Do you feel anger in a red room?
Do you prefer Blak color?
Does the color blue make you feel calm and relaxed?
Why Adidas Branding with Black Color?
What do you feel in a black room and a white room ?
Did you feel more confident in the black color?
4. 2
COLOR
PSYCHOLOGY
In 1666, English scientist Sir Isaac Newton discovered that when pure white light
passes through a prism, it separates into all of the visible colors. Newton also
found that each color is made up of a single wavelength and cannot be separated
any further into other colors.
Despite the general lack of research in this area, the concept of color psychology
has become a hot topic in marketing, art, design, and other areas. Much of the
evidence in this emerging area is anecdotal at best, but researchers and experts
have made a few important discoveries and observations about the psychology
of color and the effect it has on moods, feelings, and behaviors.
5. 3
GOOD
TO KNOW
“
“
Your feelings about color are often deeply personal and rooted in your
own experience or culture. For example, while the color white is used in
many Western countries to represent purity and innocence, it is seen
as a symbol of mourning in many Eastern countries.
6. 4
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
EFFECTS OF COLOR
What effects can it have on our bodies and minds?
While perceptions of color are somewhat subjective, there are some color
effects that have universal meaning. Colors in the red area of the color
spectrum are known as warm colors and include red, orange, and
yellow. These warm colors evoke emotions ranging from feelings of
warmth and comfort to feelings of anger and hostility.
Colors on the blue side of the spectrum are known as cool colors and
include blue, purple, and green. These colors are often described as
calm, but can also call to mind feelings of sadness.
7. 5
COLOR PSYCHOLOGY
AS THERAPY
Several ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and Chinese,
practiced chromotherapy, or the use of colors to heal. Chromotherapy is
sometimes referred to as light therapy or colorology and is still used
today as a holistic or alternative treatment.
In this treatment:
Red was used to stimulate the body and mind and to increase
circulation.
Yellow was thought to stimulate the nerves and purify the body.
Orange was used to heal the lungs and to increase energy levels.
Blue was believed to soothe illnesses and treat pain.
Indigo shades were thought to alleviate skin problems.
8. 6
MODERN RESEARCH
ON COLOR PSYCHOLOGY
1. One study found that warm-colored placebo pills were reported as more effective than
cool-colored placebo pills.
2. Anecdotal evidence has suggested that installing blue-colored streetlights can lead to
reduced crime in those areas.
3. More recently, researchers discovered that the color red causes people to react with
greater speed and force, something that might prove useful during athletic activities.
4. A study that looked at historical data found that sports teams dressed in mostly black
uniforms are more likely to receive penalties and that students were more likely to
associate negative qualities with a player wearing a black uniform.
11. 9
BLACK
Black absorbs all light in the color spectrum.
Black is often used as a symbol of menace or evil, but it's also popular as an indicator of
power. It's used to represent treacherous characters such as Dracula.
Black is associated with death and mourning in many cultures. It's also associated with
unhappiness.
In ancient Egypt, black represented life and rebirth.
Black is often used in fashion because of its slimming quality.
In marketing and branding psychology, black is associated with boldness, formality,
mystery, strength, luxuriousness, and seriousness.
Consider how black is used in language: Black Death, blackout, black cat, blacklist, black
market, black tie, black belt.
13. 11
WHITE
White represents purity or innocence.
White is bright and can create a sense of space or add highlights.
White is also described as cold, bland, and sterile. Rooms painted completely white can
seem spacious, but empty and unfriendly. Hospitals and hospital workers use white to
create a sense of sterility.
White can convey include cleanliness, freshness, and simplicity, white often seems like
a blank slate, symbolizing a new beginning or a fresh start.
On the negative side, white can seem stark, cold, and isolated. Consider how a large,
white, empty room might seem boring, bland, and stark.
In marketing and branding, white is used to convey a feeling of safety, purity,
freshness, and cleanliness, as well as to create contrast. Some famous brands that use
a great deal of white in their logos and marketing are Michelin, Gap, (HP), Lego,
Starbucks, Fisher-Price, Levi's, and Ford.
15. 13
RED
Red is a bright, warm color that evokes strong emotions.
Red is associated with love, warmth, and comfort.
Red is also considered an intense, or even angry, color that creates feelings of
excitement.
Red Is Energetic and Exciting, Red Is Powerful, Red Can Be Fun, Red Is
Passionate and Bold.
17. BLUE
Blue is described as a favorite color by many people and is the color most preferred by
men. It can seem conservative and traditional.
Blue calls to mind feelings of calmness or serenity. It is often described as peaceful,
secure, and orderly.
Blue is often seen as a sign of stability and reliability. Businesses that want to project
an image of security often utilize blue in their advertising and marketing efforts.
Blue can also create feelings of sadness or aloofness. Consider how a painting that
heavily features blue, such as those produced by Picasso during his "blue period," can
seem so lonely, sad.
Blue is often used to decorate offices because research has shown that people are
more productive in blue rooms.
Some weight loss plans even recommend
Blue can also lower the pulse rate and body temperature.
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19. 17
GREEN
Green is a cool color that symbolizes nature and the natural world. Perhaps because of
its strong related with nature, green is often thought to represent Growth, good luck,
health, and envy.
Researchers have also found that green can improve reading ability. Some students
may find that laying a transparent sheet of green paper over reading material increases
reading speed and comprehension.
Green is often used in decorating for its calming effect. For example, guests waiting to
appear on television programs often wait in a “green room” to relax.
Green is thought to relieve stress and help heal. Those who have a green work
environment experience fewer stomachaches.
Green's calming effects may be due to its associations with nature, which people often
feel is relaxing and refreshing.
21. 19
YELLOW
Warmth: Yellow is a bright color that is often described as cheery and warm.
Difficult to read: Yellow is also the most fatiguing to the eye due to the high amount of
light that is reflected. Using yellow as a background on paper or computer monitors
can lead to eyestrain or vision loss in extreme cases.
Frustration: Yellow can also create feelings of frustration and anger. While it is
considered a cheerful color, people are more likely to lose their tempers in yellow
rooms and babies tend to cry more in yellow rooms.
Energetic: Yellow can also increase metabolism.
Attention-grabbing: Since yellow is the most visible color, it is also the most
attention-getting color. Yellow can be used in a small amount to draw notice, such
as on traffic sign or advertisements.
23. 20
PURBPLE
Purple is actually a combination of blue and red. Purple Is Often Seen as a Royal Color.
Purple is the symbol of royalty and wealth.
In ancient times, creating dyes to color fabric often required a great deal of effort and
expense, especially for certain colors. Because purple is less common in nature so the
rich were the only individuals who could afford such expensive items.
This connection with royalty was not just restricted to ancient times. Purple was the
color of choice for tickets to Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953.
Purple also represents wisdom and spirituality. Its rare and mysterious nature perhaps
causes it to seem connected to the unknown, supernatural, and divine.
Purple Has Some Unique Visual Characteristics. It also has the strongest
electromagnetic wavelength, being just a few wavelengths up from x-rays and
gamma rays.
25. 22
BROWN
Brown is a natural color that evokes a sense of strength and reliability.
It's often seen as solid, much like the earth, and it's a color often associated with
security, and safety.
Brown can also create feelings of loneliness, sadness, and isolation. In large quantities,
it can seem vast, stark, and empty, like an enormous desert devoid of life.
Brown brings to mind feelings of warmth, comfort, and security. It's often described as
natural, down-to-earth, and conventional, but brown can also be sophisticated.
Brown in Feng Shui : Blue is a good color to combine with brown because of the earth-
water harmony.
27. ORANGE
Orange is a combination of yellow and red and is considered an energetic color.
Orange calls to mind feelings of excitement, enthusiasm, and warmth.
Orange is often used to draw attention, such as in traffic signs and advertising.
Orange is energetic, which is perhaps why many sports teams use orange in their
uniforms, and branding.
Orange is also the color of bright sunsets and fruits such as oranges, so many people
might associate the color with the beauty of a setting sun or the refreshing taste of
citrus.
Orange is also linked to autumn and the color of dying leaves, and it is also heavily
linked to Halloween in the United States.
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29. PINK
Pink is essentially a light red hue and is typically associated with love and romance.
Pink is thought to have a calming effect. One shade known sometimes used in prisons to
calm inmates. Sports teams sometimes paint the opposing team's locker room pink to
keep the players passive and less energetic.
Pink is often described as a feminine color, perhaps largely due to associations, people
form during early childhood. "Girls toys" are usually pink and purple, while "boys toys"
are often red, yellow, green, or blue.
people sometimes associate the color with qualities that are often thought of as feminine,
such as softness, kindness, nurturance, and compassion.
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