Updated: Jun 21, 2021
“Colour is a power which directly influences your soul”
- Wassily Kandinsky
So, what is color psychology?
Color psychology is a study that looks at how colors can influence the perception of human behavior, through one's moods, emotions, feelings, and sensations. When light strikes the human eye, the wavelengths do so in different ways, influencing our perceptions.*** A certain area of the brain – the hypothalamus (which controls hormones and the network of glands and organs) - converts and transmits this for interpretation on how we respond.
Colors can influence feelings towards our appetite, sexual functions, sleeping and so much more! This is used widely in business and scientific research as colors can influence a person’s emotions and feeling towards goods/services and even towards other people*. Pretty interesting, right?
But how does color psychology influence us?
The human mind is affected by colors. There is a connection between our brain and our emotions. This determines how we react both physiologically and psychologically to colors. Depending on how the brain is stimulated, a person can feel happy, angry, sad, or anxious**. An overloaded level of color could lead to changes in breathing patterns, pulse, blood pressure, and muscle tension. However, too little color i.e. a completely white environment can lead to anxiousness, sleeplessness, excessive emotional reaction, loss of concentration, and nervousness. Thus, too much or too little color can be problematic and perhaps affect our mental state.
So, how can I use color psychology to improve my mental and physical health?
The primary colors: Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow*** can be used to help you understand why you may see these colors and react in a certain way.