Colors And Emotions: How Do They Relate To Each Other?
There are different colors in nature, and each of them affects our emotions differently. Surely you have already realized, because, for example, when you have to decorate your home you pay special attention to what colors you are going to use. Each of the colors will make you feel a certain way.
Companies have long They carefully select the colors that they use for their logos or for their stores, because depending on which ones they use, they make us experience one or another emotion. Did you know that the color red stimulates hunger? That is why McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC or Wendy’s use it to represent their brand.
Psychology is everything in our life, mainly because everything we see, hear and feel passes through our thinking organ. Our eyes alone cannot see, and in the brain there is a specific area for vision, which is the occipital lobe. However, this It is not the only region of the brain that is involved in vision processes since information is sent from the occipital cortex to other parts, such as the frontal lobe or the thalamus.
That is why color is capable of stimulating or creating joy or sadness. Colors can make us feel energetic or relaxed, they promote thermal sensations of cold or heat, and they also make us perceive order or disorder. Although color perception is an individual and subjective process, cultural factors also influence how color affects us. For example, some colors are identified with masculine and feminine, and others with romantic.
For this reason, what is known as color psychology was born, which is a field of study that is aimed at analyzing how we perceive, feel and behave when faced with different tones, brightness and intensities of color.
What emotions do different colors provoke?
The language of color is known to marketing or decoration professionals and even artists, and color psychology is necessary for the development of products, such as clothing, advertising, etc.
But. How do colors affect you on an emotional level? Below you can find a list of the different emotions that colors provoke in the inhabitants of Western countries:
1. Blue
The blue is a color that inspires tranquility and is relaxing It gives a feeling of freshness and calm and is associated with the sky and water. It is synonymous with purity, freedom, harmony, fidelity, seriousness, security, sincerity and loyalty.
2. Green
Green represents nature and humanity. On an emotional level It is the color of balance, hope and growth In Western culture, it also represents money and financial security. Now, it also has its negative side, and that is that it is the color of poison, jealousy and the demonic.
3. Violet
Violet has long been associated with royalty, as it is enveloped in an air of luxury. It has been widely used in painting to give a feeling of elegance. The lightest shades of violet evoke spring and romance The darker ones attract mystery, and can even symbolize creativity. Individuals who wear clothing of this color usually project that they are empathetic and affectionate people, with artistic and creative tendencies.
I have already mentioned that red is related to appetite, but it is also the color of dominance. With this color it is possible to go to the two extremes: that of love and that of war The lighter shades emphasize the energetic aspects of red, including youth, while the darker shades are associated with power.
5. Pink
No one can doubt that pink is associated with the feminine, but also with friendship, pure love or delicacy. It is a color that inspires calm, relaxes and is romantic. It is also associated with sugar and It is used to give a sweet sensation and it is a color that is related to childhood.
6. White
The color white is the color of relaxation par excellence, and inspires purity, peace, innocence and cleanliness It is a color that can be used for tranquility, serenity and purifies the mind.
7. Black
This color conveys elegance, sobriety and formality. Black can seem distant and has some negative elements associated with it, because It is the color of death and destruction It also awakens some negative emotions, such as despair, sadness, melancholy, unhappiness or irritability. It is the color of the mysterious and the hidden.
8. Gray
Gray is considered a neutral color, which It has balance, order, respect and elegance However, it is also associated with mediocrity or decrepitude. Light gray gives peace, tenacity and tranquility.
9. Orange
Orange is the color of action, movement and enthusiasm It is a happy color, which increases optimism and confidence. It is also associated with lust or sensuality. However, too much orange seems to increase anxiety.
Color psychology has many applications and surely one of the best known is marketing. As we tell in this article “Emotional Marketing: reaching the heart of the customer”, although many individuals think that the decisions we make are based on reason, the truth is that, almost always, it is our most emotional part that influences until we practically decide. for us.
Often, we are the ones who have to choose what color to use. For example, when dressing or painting our house. This last aspect is important for us, since we spend long hours in our home. Choosing one color or another will make us experience one emotion or another. If you want to know how to paint your house, we recommend reading this article: “How to paint my house? Color psychology explains it to you.”
Conclusion
The concept of color psychology It has been validated by many studies and by the research field but you don’t have to be a scientist to realize the effect that colors have on our emotions and behavior.
We live in a world full of color and you only need to take a look around us to see how companies use different colors for their logos, advertisements, even the walls of their shops.
Each of these colors has an effect on us and sends one message or another to the consumer.
