COLOR PSYCHOLOGY

CONTEXTUAL DEFINITION
• Study of colors in relation to Human Behavior.
It explains the connection between colors and
the psychology of people.
• Aims to determine how color affects our day
to day decisions. (e.g. the items we buy)
• Based on the mental and emotional effects
colors have on sighted people in all facets of
life.
 TWO MAIN CATEGORIES
• WARM (Red area of the color spectrum)
– can spark a variety of emotions ranging from
comfort and warmth to hostility and anger.
– (e.g. red, yellow and orange)
• COOL (Blue side of the color spectrum)
– often spark feelings of calmness as well as
sadness.
– (e.g. green, blue and purple)
 Common Psychological
Effects of Colors
• Colors can create conditions that can cause
fatigue, increase stress, decrease visual
perception damage eyesight, and increase
possible work errors.
• Studies have also shown that certain colors
can have an impact on performance.
• Color may also influence a person’s mental or
physical state.
COLOR SYMBOLISMS
 BLACK
• Associated with power, elegance, formality,
death, evil, and mystery.
• A mysterious color associated with fear and the
unknown (black holes).
• Usually has a negative connotation (blacklist,
black humor, ‘black death’).
• Denotes strength and authority; it is considered
to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious
color.
• The symbol of grief.
 WHITE
• Associated with light, goodness, innocence,
purity, and virginity.
• Considered to be the color of perfection.
• Signifies safety, purity, and cleanliness.
• Usually has a positive connotation.
• Can represent a successful beginning.
• Depicts faith and purity.
 RED
• Associated with energy, war, danger, strength,
power, determination as we ll as passion,
desire, and love.
• Enhances human metabolism, increases
respiration rate, and raises blood pressure.
• It attracts attention more than any other color,
at times signifying danger.
• Colors related to
red: Magenta, Burgundy, Maroon.
 BLUE
• Unique and authentic.
• Enthusiastic, sympathetic and personal; they seek
meaning and significance in life.
• Warn, communicative and compassionate; they
care about what they do.
• Idealistic, spiritual and sincere; they value unity
and integrity in their relationships.
• Peaceful, flexible and imaginative; they are
natural romantics and nurturers.
• Colors related to blue: Teal, Turquoise
 GREEN
• Color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility.
• Strong emotional correspondence with safety.
• Dark green is also commonly associated with money.
• Has great healing power.
• Green suggests stability and endurance.
• Color of the sea. It is often associated with depth and stability.
• Symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth,
and heaven.
• Considered beneficial to the mind and body.
• Slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect.
• Strongly associated with tranquility and calmness.
• Used to symbolize piety and sincerity.
• Also check: Chartreuse
 YELLOW
• Associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy.
• Produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness,
stimulates mental activity, and generates
muscle energy.
• Bright, pure yellow is an attention getter, which is the
reason taxicabs are painted this color.
• When overused, yellow may have a disturbing effect.
• It is known that babies cry more in yellow rooms.
• Yellow indicates honor and loyalty. Later the meaning
of yellow was connected with cowardice.
• Colors related to yellow: Amber, Beige
 PURPLE
• Combines the stability of blue and the energy
of red.
• Associated with royalty. It symbolizes power,
nobility, luxury, and ambition.
• Conveys wealth and extravagance.
• Associated with wisdom, dignity,
independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.
• Relevant
colors: Indigo, Violet, Lavender, Mauve
 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 resilience,
dependability, 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.
 ORANGE
• Combines the energy of red and the happiness
of yellow.
• Associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics.
• Represents enthusiasm, fascination,
happiness, creativity, determination,
attraction, success, encouragement, and
stimulation.
 PINK
• This is a color that represents a gentle type of love.
• Pink stands for tenderness, vulnerability and youth.
• It is a calming, non-threatening color. It is linked to
innocence, hope and optimism.
• Pink color also represents positive aspects of
traditional femininity like nurture and kindness.
• Pink can be linked to childhood sweetness and
innocence, appearing sometimes as naïve or silly.
• Also check: Salmon
COLOR AND CONSUMER
PURCHASES
• White: As many of our readers have suggested, the color
white can feel fresh and clean. The color is often used to
evoke a sense of youth and modernity.
• Black: Our readers often describe black as a "powerful"
color, which might be the reason why black is the most
popular color for luxury vehicles. People often describe the
color as sexy, powerful, mysterious, and even ominous.
• Silver: It's the third most popular color for vehicles and
linked to a sense of innovation and modernity. High tech
products are often silver, so the color is often linked to
things that are new, modern, and cutting-edge.
• Red: Dreaming of a red vehicle? Red is a bold, attention-
getting color, so preferring this type of car might mean you
want to project an image of power, action, and confidence.
• Blue: People often describe blue as the color of
stability and safety. Driving a blue car or SUV
might indicate that you are dependable and
trustworthy.
• Yellow: According to the experts, driving a yellow
vehicle might mean that you are a happy person
in general and perhaps a bit more willing than the
average person to take risks.
• Gray: The experts suggest that people who drive
gray cars don't want to stand out and instead
prefer something a bit more subtle.
 REFERENCES
• Cherry, K. (2019, April 2). Color Psychology: Does It Affect How You Feel?
Retrieved from verywellmind: https://www.verywellmind.com/color-
psychology-2795824
• Ferreira, N. M. (2018, July 4). Color Psychology: How Color Meanings
Affect Your Brand. Retrieved from Oberlo:
https://www.oberlo.com/blog/color-psychology-color-meanings
• mzeeshanarshad. (2013, August 5). Psychology of Colors. Retrieved from
SlideShare: https://www.slideshare.net/mzeeshanarshad/javeria-
psychology-of-colors?next_slideshow=1
• NA. (n.d.). Color Psychology: The Emotional Effects of Colors. Retrieved
from Art Therapy: http://www.arttherapyblog.com/online/color-
psychology-psychologica-effects-of-colors/#.XMlHj9UzaUk
• NA. (n.d.). Psychology of Color. Retrieved from precision intermedia:
http://precisionintermedia.com/color
• Przybyla, D. (2019). The Psychology and Meaning of Colors. Retrieved from
Color Psychology: https://www.colorpsychology.org/