The psychology of color is the study of the impact of color on human behavior. It is theorized that color can influence a person’s emotions, physical and mental feelings, and overall mood. Color affects people in that way due to how our brains associate colors with things in nature and past experiences. Each color can evoke a specific array of feelings, mostly between negative and positive associations. 

The color black, for example, can give people positive associations by displaying elegance and attractiveness, whereas its negative associations can be tied with things like death and evil. While these two ideas might seem strange to both have together, the association is conditional. If you were to enter a ballroom, people wearing black dresses or black suits might seem more formal and better to look at, hence why “everyone looks good in black” is such a common phrase. On the flip side though, when some people think of death, they might think of a black void or even depictions of the Grim Reaper often have it draped in black, by no mistake. Though color association can also be cultural.

In some middle eastern countries, the color white stands for death and sadness. It is the color most used in their funerals and burial rites. This stands in direct contrast to how many European countries see the color white, as a symbol of purity and goodness. So keeping in mind where your works will be used and the proper color associations is important. 

The colors red and blue have also had impacts in the world of competitions in a way many people wouldn’t think. There were several studies done on several sports, but I will use a specific study done with Tae Kwon Do, where color would actively affect the match outcomes. During Tae Kwon Do matches a study was conducted where one team wore red and the other wore blue. What they found was even after the teams switched colors, whatever colors were worn, would help dictate how fighters acted in about. People wearing red were more aggressive in their fighting styles while those who wore blue were more defensive and strategic. What people found was that when wearing red, they felt angrier and more energetic. When people wore blue they felt calmer and more thoughtful. This great connection to color helped to cement the idea of the psychology of color and what subconscious effects it can place upon people.

In marketing, colors can be used on company logos or products to even influence people to buy from them. As each color evokes certain feelings and mindsets, people with the proper personalities might connect with a brand. Some colors can even make people hungry, which helps out food brands. One-color that can make people hungry is actually the color combination of red and yellow. Yellow tends to symbolize happiness, like the sun, and red symbolizes danger or impulsiveness. That’s why companies like Wendy’s, McDonald's, Denny’s, Lay’s, and more seem to have the same color scheme, it’s the one that makes you hungrier. 

Using color theory subconsciously affects everyone, and making sure that you use the right colors in your work can make all the difference.

Work Cited:

Cherry, Kendra. “Can Color Affect Your Mood and Behavior?” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 28 May 2020, https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-2795824.

Cherry, Kendra. “How the Color Black Impacts Moods, Feelings, and Behaviors.” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 13 Oct. 2020, https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-black-2795814.

Cherry, Kendra. “How White Impact Moods, Feelings, and Behaviors.” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 24 Apr. 2021, https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-white-2795822.

Red vs. Blue: Which Should You Choose? - Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind-games/201502/red-vs-blue-which-should-you-choose.

Scout, Help. “Color Psychology in Marketing and Branding Is All about Context.” Help Scout, 12 Aug. 2020, https://www.helpscout.com/blog/psychology-of-color/.

Urie, Chris. “There's a Sneaky Reason Why You Always See Red and Yellow on Fast Food Logos.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 10 Sept. 2018, https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-food-colors-make-you-hungry-2018-9#:~:text=The%20color%20yellow%20elicits%20a,of%20healthiness%20and%20environmental%20responsibility.