Different factors such as personal preference, experiences, upbringing, and cultural differences can influence the way we react to individual colors as well as the effect that individual colors have on us.
Color psychology
Color psychology is defined as the "study of how color affects our emotions and behaviors." Different colors can make us feel in different ways; they act upon the body as well as the mind.
The following are general beliefs about the psychology of each color.
- Red: Associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.
- Green: Color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility.
- Blue: Thoughtful, still, and tranquil, blue represents a sense of inner reflection.
- Brown: Associated with the traits of dependability, reliability, and resilience.
- Orange: Associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics.
- Yellow: Associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy.
- Pink: A calming, non-threatening color. It is linked to innocence, hope, and optimism.
- Purple: Symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition.
- White: Associated with light, goodness, innocence, and purity.
- Black: Associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, mystery, and the unknown.
Color psychology and persons with disabilities
Some individuals may be more sensitive to color than others. This is due to the fact that some people have increased sensory responses, stronger visual processing abilities, and differentiated cognition pathways. This includes individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Keep colors simple and muted for people that may be overwhelmed by bright colors or many different colors. Colors should also be considered when creating text for others to read, especially students with disabilities. Simple colors with a light background have been found to be the best for reading.
Color can have both healing and adverse effects on a person. A study conducted at the University of Goldsmiths London found that some colors were more likely than others to cause epileptic fits, while those with color sensitivities may be distraught or feel overwhelmed to certain colors or shades of a particular color.
Regarding its healing power, colors can possibly improve one’s mood, emotions, and energy level; so much so, in fact, that there is even a treatment that uses colors to cure diseases. This is known as chromotherapy. Chromotherapy is often defined as "light therapy or colorology, and was practiced by Ancient Egyptian, Greek, Chinese, and Indian cultures."
Research on color psychology
Existing research has found that color can possibly impact people in many ways. For example, some studies found that warm-colored placebo pills were reported as more effective than placebo pills that were cool-colored, showing that color could possibly influence the perceived effect of certain drugs over others. Additionally, it is possible that there are different color preferences between infants and adults.
The ecological valence theory proposes that color preferences arise from affective responses to color-associated objects. People are more likely to like or dislike colors to the same degree that they like or dislike objects that are usually associated with that color. Some may steer away from dark green as it reminds them of dirty water, while others may prefer a bright yellow which reminds them of a warm and sunny day.
Overall
Despite how much many rely on colors, little work has been done by scientific rigor. More research is needed; most of the work related to color psychology has been driven by practical concerns. Ultimately, research on color and psychological functioning are worth investigating further, but more theoretical and empirical work needs to be done.
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