How Colors Affect Our Emotional State - Research Paper Example

How Colors Affect our Emotional People are the only mammals besides primates who differentiate between colors and attach certain meaning to them. It is not a secret that colors influence person`s emotional state and mood. For example, for most of us it is much more comfortable to fall asleep in a room painted in cool light green than in bright red. While in a warm orange room people are more encouraged to conversation because it is usually perceived as stimulating. People always have tendency to describe their mood in terms of color that is how such phrases as “feeling blue” or “being green form jealousy” probably appeared. There is even some evidence that the color of a placebo pill influences its effect. It was established that pills painted in hot colors gave better effect than pills painted in cold colors (Whitfield & Wiltshire 66). So colors which are simple light frequencies create some serious psychological response in our brain and influence productivity, aggressiveness, appetite, and mood. Apart from psychological effects colors can also have physiological effects an alternate body organs work. In this paper I am going to examine the theory that such mechanisms of colors influence can be explained by biological inclinations and which have developed in people. Color vision is one of the most interesting and yet not explored parts of the optical science. When Newton discovered that white color is a mix of all the existing colors he made a basis for discovering wave theory of light. Later it became clear that eyes and brain perceive colors as certain frequencies (Gregory 122). So one of the major questions that appeared about colors concerned the number of principal colors. The scientists suggested that it is hardly possible that there were receptors for all the colors so there must be some basic colors the number of which is no more than three. So Young was the first one who discovered that colors can be mixed and can give completely new colors so he distinguished three basic colors which eventually form all the others. They are red, green, and blue or violet (Gregory 123). The discovery of these basic colors was important for understanding the nature of color and light in general. Many scientists and later psychologists studied colors and their impact o human body an mind. Carl Jung was particularly interested in color therapy and aimed to use colors in his practice. He was known as one of the first color psychologists, however, today this sphere is more developed and psychologists, marketing specialists, designers, art-therapists use psychological and physiological effect of colors in their practice. So there is attention in scientific circles regarding color psychology though profound research is still missing. It is known that various colors evoke different emotions and associations in people and carry different meanings. The meaning attached to a color is not simply aesthetic a logical, in most cases cultural and natural information about colors play an important role in creation of this meaning. First level of meaning is created with the help of repetitions and associations of colors with special messages and experiences. Second level of information is attached to a color with the help of biological information common to all people (Elliot & Maier 250). Moreover, seeing a color provokes certain evaluation in people, the basic one such as harmlessness or hospitability. This trait is similar to all animals which assess if it is possible to eat fruits and vegetables by their color. Colors produce serious psychological effects and stimulate some behavioral response in people, however, this process is subconscious. Eliot and Maier also say that the meaning of colors is dependent on the context in which it is perceived. According to Whitfield and Wiltshire, there are six basic principles of color psychology according to which people perceive colors: Colors mostly mean something; The meaning of colors can depend on learned model or can be biologically explained; When a person perceives a color, he assesses it instantly; Person`s behaviour is dependent on the color assessment; However, the context of color perception also matters for interpretation (34). Most often those basic colors find different emotional feedback in people. Red, blue, yellow, white, black, and green seem to be most often used and have because they all have natural equivalents. Human brain interprets these colors easily and this mechanism of interpretation seems to be very ancient if compared with modern artificial colors. So color psychologists and scientists agree on the fact that colors influence hormones and neurotransmitters an provoke certain psychological an physiological effect. For example, green also has biological connotation in brain because it is instantly associated with vegetation, grass, and growth. It is suggested that green must give the sense of refreshment and relaxation. In the study examining the effect of colors on GSR, heart rate, and breathing green turned out to be less stimulating than red but more stimulating than blue. This feeling of relaxation of green color is used in many ways in different spheres: for example, TV shows have special green room where viewers have opportunity to calm down before or after a show. The effect of green is used in advertisement and marketing as well (Carey 1). Red is one the most aggressive and the craziest colors from all spectrum. It usually makes people feel such emotions as anger, fear, and passion. Red color is very effective in attention attraction and sexual interest provoking because it is the color of the blush and flush on the skin which is associated with sexual interest. Red also has impact on the body work. For instance it stimulates blood circulation and increases pressure. Most often red is nevertheless associated with love, affection, and passion. On the first level of the association this is explained by learned issues. Red hearts for example are a famous symbol of love. Such things as red lipstick or red lingerie have become the hallmarks of sexual availability in common context. On the biological level it can be explained by usage of red among most non-human female mammals in order to attract mating partners. So this biological sense must have direct impact an influence the perception of red color (Elliot & Maier 257). In the study of the colors effect on GSR, heart rate, and breathing red was also marked as the most arousing for GSR effect. Blue is often associated with depressive mood and low physiological activity. For example, blue is said to be an effective as an appetite suppressant a people eating in a blue room are supposed to eat less than those eating in red. It may be explained by defense mechanism according to which people tend to perceive blue food as poisonous. Blue is also genuinely associated with water and sky that is why it gives an impression of meditation and deepness (Bender 2). Yellow usually has positive associations in all people of sunshine and light. The color is also stimulating and vibrant for the nervous system that is why it is often use for such things as post-it notes. Moreover looking on yellow objects is linked to serotonin release in brain. There was some difficulties with distinguishing how eye perceives yellow light because yellow is a mixture of red an green, therefore, Yong suggested that there must be sensory receptors tuned for this two colors while their common signal is interpreted as yellow light(Gregory 124). Colors seem to be very interesting phenomenon because it is impossible to deny that they influence our mental state daily. Many ancient countries worshiped colors in a certain way and so by our time all colors have gained special cultural context. Today colors are used on purpose: to evoke interest, to stimulate to certain action, to soothe in many spheres of work and life. I believe this sphere needs more research as with the increase of consumerism and Internet era people get manipulated with visual images more often so learning about colors can be helpful. So color is a difficult optical phenomenon which attracted much interest in science. The nature of color was discovered not long time ago when it became clear that color is a frequency of light interpreted by special receptors. There are three basic colors: blue, red, and green, the combination of which gives all the other colors. However, apart from simple optical and visual effect colors have certain physiological and psychological effects because people tend to attach meaning to them. On a simple superficial level people attach cultural meaning or personal sense to colors but on a deeper inborn level all people interpret colors according biological instincts. In such way blue is perceive as not pleasant because blue food is thought to be poisonous while red is perceive as provoking an passionate associated with blush. Colors also provoke certain physiological reactions such as SGR response or awakening. Works Cited Bender, R. How Color Affects Mood. Huffington Post.2011. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/27/how-color-affects-our-moo_n_1114790.html# Carey, T. Colour me happy: Different colours can have an effect on our moods and behaviour in rather surprising ways. The Mirror.2007. Retrieve from: http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health/how-colours-affect-your-moods-1321381 Gregory, R. Eye and Brain. Princeton University Press: Princeton.1997 Elliot, A. & Maier, M. Color and Psychological Functioning. Association for Psychological Science. 2007, 250-257. Whitfield, T. & Wiltshire, T. Color psychology: A critical review. Genetic, Social & General Psychology Monographs, 1990. 116(4), 387. Read More