The study of how different colours influence human behaviour is known as colour psychology. Varied colours have different meanings, implications, and psychological effects depending on the culture. Different colours can have a different impact on humans, for example, Red colour is associated with making a person feel more energetic and strong whereas looking at the colour blue can make an individual feel calmer and at peace.

Colours and their psychological effects:

Black

The psychological effects of the colour black are both positive and negative. The positive association towards the colour black is that of elegance and sophistication. That’s the reason why many people wear black outfits at events, most celebrities prefer to wear an all-black outfit at red-carpet events; brands like Chanel and Tiffany &Co. use the colour black in their logos as well. Colour black is also associated with power and that is why employees of corporate offices and big law firms wear Suits and a black-tie as their formal wear.                     

The negative association towards the colour Black is that of evil, death, fear, and anger. Other than that there are a lot of examples where the word Black has been used in negative expressions in our language such as Blackmail, Black-hearted, Black magic, Black-hole, etc. The colour Black clearly shows how one colour can be perceived in such different ways.

White

The associations with Colours are not universal, just like the colour Black; White colour also has both positive and negative associations in different cultures. In western culture, the colour white represents purity and innocence; hence the colour white is associated with Weddings, Angels, Hospitals etc. whereas in eastern culture the colour white is associated with death and sadness and that is why it is worn in funerals.

The colour white is mostly used by designers to make the rooms look more spacious, the colour is also used in hospitals and luxury rehabs as the colour also gives a sense of cleanliness and calmness to people.

Red

According to Colour Psychology, the colour Red has the strongest effect on emotions as compared to any other colour. Colour psychology states that colours like Red give rise to strong emotions like fear and anger whereas colours like green and blue feel more calm and peaceful. 

The colour red has a long wavelength it can immediately grab attention and that is the reason why it is used at caution signs and traffic signals. The colour red has a lot of contrasting denotations as it denotes love and passion but also danger and aggression; fear but also excitement. Red instantly makes people look more attractive and it is also been said that men find women wearing red more attractive as compared to women wearing some other colour. 

Blue

The colour blue often feels more calm and peaceful as compared to darker and warmer colours like Red, Orange, and Yellow. The blue colour is often found in the nature such as the pale blue sky or the dark blue found in the ocean. This could be the reason why most people find the colour calm and serene. Although, being a cool colour it may also feel icy, distant and cold.

The blue colour also denotes stability and reliability and hence, businesses use the colour blue in their logos and advertising for better marketing. It also helps in increasing productivity among workers because of which the colour is used in offices as well. It is a fact that the blue colour makes an individual feel calm but it also can give rise to feelings of sadness and depression. It is specifically advised in treatment for depression that the patient should not stay in a room which has the colour blue as it could worsen their situation. 

Green

The colour green has a shorter wavelength as compared to warmer colours like Red and Yellow. Hence, green also comes under the ‘cool’ colours category. Just like the colour blue, green is often found in nature and symbolizes tranquillity. Green is also associated with money, luck, health, envy, and jealousy. As per ancient mythology, the colour green was associated with the fertility of women and mother earth. 

Green is a calming colour and a recent study proved that participants who were exercising indoors and were watching a video of outdoor space with a green overlay reported less mood disturbance as compared to people who were not looking at the video. Going on nature trails has been linked to relieving stress and improving focus in people. As green is tied with nature, it is also associated with health and wellness. According to a study, people were more likely to choose a candy that is green in colour as compared to any other colour. Hence, the colour green is used in health and wellness businesses, for example, most pharmacies have their logos in green colour. The logo of Veda Wellness and Rehabilitation has the colours green, white and brown to show its association with Nature, wellness, and healing.

One particular negative association with the colour green is envy and jealousy. The association of green with jealousy dates back to Greek mythology; as per Greek theory of medicine, Jealousy was considered to result in an excess of bile which would give a pale-green cast to the skin. In the book ‘Othello’, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare jealousy was referred to as the ‘green-eyed’ monster. 

Yellow

The colour yellow comes under the ‘warm’ colours category as it has a higher wavelength. Yellow is bright, intense, and attention-grabbing. Vincent Van Gogh had once said, “How wonderful colour yellow is, It stands for the Sun”. Just like all the other colours, yellow also has both positive and negative associations. 

Yellow is positively associated with Energy, Warmth and Cheerful. The colour yellow is often associated with energy as it is perceived as a bright and high-energy colour. The colour is bright and intense and has the power to immediately grab attention. In today’s times, if we look at the emoticons that are used in social media applications, the smiley faces are always in the colour yellow. Even though some express sad emotions, yellow is not used to show disgust. 

Although too much yellow can lead to a negative response, it has been observed that babies cry a lot in yellow rooms and people tend to get angrier in yellow rooms. It has been researched that yellow can cause feelings of intense aggression and frustration and people may feel more irritated when surrounded by the colour yellow.

Orange

Just like the colours red and yellow, orange also has a higher wavelength and comes under the ‘warm’ category of colours. The positive associations with the colour Orange are quite similar to the colour yellow. Just like yellow, Orange is also a high-energy colour; it usually reminds people of the autumn season. The colour is also attention-grabbing but friendly and warm. Orange is considered a happy colour as it reminds people of sunsets and tasty fruits like oranges and tangerines. 

Orange is associated with spirituality as well as it is often associated with meditation. Buddhist monks wear orange robes that symbolize simplicity and letting go of materialism. 

As the field of Psychology has been growing day by day, the use of colour therapy has been increased and the technique has achieved positive results as well. Many institutions and rehabs like Veda Wellness and Rehabilitation have Art Therapists on board to provide treatment for depression and anxiety. 

By Janhavi Mehta

Psychologist

Veda Wellness and Rehabilitation