Have you ever given much thought regarding why on a particular day, certain colors may attract you more than the others? What makes a vibrant red dress stand out or why does a blue sky make you feel so calm and relaxed? Is there more to these choices than preference?
Color psychology answers these questions, explaining how shades that surround us subconsciously affect emotions, perceptions, and actions. Did you ever pay attention to the fact that a bright yellow wall can make you feel happy or on the other hand a dark and gloomy looking weather can make you feel sad?
This blog dives into how different hues impact our feelings and moods and explains why specific hues evoke certain reactions.
The Science of Color Perception: How Our Brains Process Hues
Sight is a complex process in which our eyes and brains combine to generate the colorful surroundings. Light reaches our eyes and some cells in the retina called cones distinguish red, green, and blue wavelengths of light. Our brains then translate these signals, mixing them to create the broad range of colors that we see.
Dr. Bevil Conway, a neuroscientist at the National Institutes of Health, has found that color perception is based on context. This means that our perception of hues changes based on surrounding colors or elements, which explains why colors may look different depending on their background. Our brains do not simply perceive color but also understand it within the context of other colors or with other elements present. This is the reason why colors look different based on their background.
But beyond visual experience, color psychology shows that colors strongly influence our emotions and mental states. For example, studies have shown that:
- Red can increase physiological arousal: This could account for why red is linked to such things as excitement, a sense of urgency or even pressure.
- Green can enhance psychological well-being: Research has shown that exposure to green during exercise increases attention, mood and overall self-esteem.
Learning how color perception occurs can assist in appreciating the whole process that occurs in the relation between senses and the brain. It also explores the remarkable effect that color has on human emotions and mental health.
The Emotional Palette: How Colors Influence Mood
Warm Colors (Red, Orange, Yellow)
Some of the warm colors include; the red, orange, and yellow which are perceived to relate with energy, warmth among other attributes. For instance , red is associated with feelings of passion/ excitement but can as well elicit feelings of anger/ anxiety. Orange is a mix between red, which represents energy, and yellow, an indicator of cheerfulness that is often related to creativity and socialization. Yellow is a color associated with happiness, sunshine and joy but is found to be excessively dominant when used in excessive amounts, which might cause irritation or anger.
Cool Colors (Blue, Green, Purple)
The cool colors like blue, green and purple give impressions of calmness, relaxation and peace. Blue is one of the most recommended colors as it is relaxing in nature, thus is used mostly in bedrooms and offices. Associated with nature, green color offers balance and order and therefore creates a smart stable environment. Purple is often related to royalty and luxury, at the same time it is connected to spirituality and creativity, providing a sense of quietness and reflection.
Neutral Colors (Black, White, Gray)
Black, white and gray colors seem to be more neutral but they can have positive as well as negative feelings related to them. Black is classy and authoritative but might appear dull or sad if used in abundance. White stands for cleanliness and purity and gives an impression of space; however, it can be too clinical at times. Gray is halfway between black and white and is associated with practical and reasonable, but many gray areas cause people to feel bland or unsure.
Colors in Mental Health Spaces: Healing with Hues
The application of color for the purpose of treatment has been in practice for a long time and is known as color therapy or chromotherapy. When it comes to hospitals, colors are chosen in a very purposeful manner to design spaces that will help the mind and the body to relax.
An experiment from a mental health care center in the UK showed the effect of color on the healing process of patients. Substituting harsh interiors to a soft green and blue scheme, the facility observed a sharp decline in patient’s agitation and inclination towards better health. In this case, there is an intentional use of color in design mostly in hospitals and wellness centers.
Color perception is not absolute but rather is a product of the cultural beliefs and values of the society in which one lives. While white is a symbol of purity in most Western societies, the same is a symbol of mourning in most of the Eastern societies. While western cultures might associate the color red with danger or passion, for the Chinese it symbolizes good luck and prosperity.
Color psychology also shows that color perception varies culturally. An article in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology compared how various cultures perceive color and established that culture plays a key role in how people experience emotions. Japanese participants had a positive association with red as they associated it with happiness and celebration while the American participants had a negative association with red as they associated it with aggression/passion.
Conclusion
This article has examined the powerful role of Color Psychology in shaping our emotions and mental well-being. Red and yellow stimulate feelings of warmth and arousal while blue and green are linked to relaxation and leisure. We have also discussed how color is employed in mental health contexts to promote healing and explored ways that culture and personality influence an individual’s affective reaction to hue.
Actionable Advice
- Create Calm: When choosing colors, go for the cool ones and apply them in areas where you are likely to unwind such as your bedroom.
- Boost Energy: It is ideal to introduce warm shades in the places where you require energy or inspiration, for instance, the home office.
- Balance with Neutrals: Use light and pale tones as the base and combine them with strong contrasts of deeper tones.
- Personalize Your Space: Select those colors that will represent your feelings or culture so that the room appears to be special and personal.
The colors we choose to decorate our worlds are not merely superficial, they are in fact elemental, they are the way we communicate with ourselves, as stated by Leatrice Eiseman. Try to be more aware of the color, which exists in your environment, because they have an ability to gently improve the mood and mental state.
Resources:
Elliot, Andrew & Maier, Markus & Moller, Arlen & Friedman, Ron & Meinhardt, Jörg. (2007). Color and Psychological Functioning: The Effect of Red on Performance Attainment. Journal of experimental psychology. General. 136. 154-68. 10.1037/0096-3445.136.1.154
Zhang, D., Jin, X., Wang, L., & Jin, Y. (2023). Form and color visual perception in green exercise: Positive effects on attention, mood, and self-esteem. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 88, 102028. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102028
Rahimi, N., & Dabagh, A. M. (2018). Study the mental effect of color in the interior architecture of the hospital spaces and effect on the patient tranquility. Amazonia Investiga, 7(13), 137-147. Retrieved from http://www.udla.edu.co/revistas/index.php/amazonia-investiga
