The Skinny on Color Psychology

Some people may not be aware of it but colors affect us wherever we go. A single color can set the tone and mood of our atmosphere; it can affect the way we react to things such as products, food, web-sites, clothing, etc. Studies have shown that our minds attribute certain qualities to things as associated with their colors. Marketing experts, web and graphic designers are well aware of many of these attributes and they exploit them on a daily basis to sway audiences into trusting their companies, encouraging various web surfing habits, and marketing their products. Many people are already aware of the studies that show certain colors used in prisons are shown to calm the population, or that it is recommended that children's rooms not be in shades of red because it seems to increase hyper activity and make it difficult for children to concentrate, but many people would be skeptical when told that the colors used in a web design will affect their surfing and their spending habits, or that they will be partial to a product simply because it's packaging is more aesthetically pleasing. Those skeptics might be surprised upon learning the truth. When I originally began work in the restaurant business, I never forgot what my boss told me when showing me how the food was to be arranged on the plate. "People would rather eat mediocre food that looks good, than good food that looks mediocre." In my experience this does not just apply to food.

When exploring the world of colors and how they affect our psychology and habits the first thing we must explore is our preconceived notions of color. The most basic being the temperature a color indicates to us. Universally held concepts are that reds, oranges, and yellows are considered warm colors… because generally they are associated with things like the sun and fire, despite the fact science has proven to us that not all flames… and not all stars fall on the warm end of the spectrum. There are in fact stars and flames that fall in the cool end of the spectrum, which universally is believed to be greens, blues, and violets. These are perceptions we develop from childhood in our observations of the world around us, and enforced by the preconceived notions of the societies we dwell in.

We also however have preconceived color notions in regards to food also. Research indicated that the Mars™ candy company originally manufactured red, green, yellow, violet, and brown M & M's ®. However violet was removed from the mix and replaced by tan, though no reason is listed for this change. For many years though the color line-up in this popular candy remained the same. Until there was a scare about the effects of FD &C red # 2 dye on one's health, and despite the company's reassurance that their candies did not contain this dye, red was removed from the line-up for some time, but later was re-introduced and met no opposition in 1987. It was curious people like myself and others that posed the question, "Why aren't there any blue ones?" The answer was simple. People associate earth tones, and greens with things that are edible, but generally tend to avoid blues and purples. Usually blues and purples are associated with food that has spoiled or is poisonous. The company held a vote on which new color would be added to the line up out of the choices blue, pink, or purple… and blue was the winner. After the contest concluded blue was added in 1995.

Now many might be thinking this is all well and good, and that the way colors affect the way we perceive food makes sense… but what about web-design and our surfing habits? Many might ask if web-design is centered on what an individual prefers when it comes to color, and what they find aesthetically pleasing. And where personal preference does play some part, the fact remains that certain colors do affect us in certain ways. Especially in this regard, because colors do appear different on a computer monitor than they do in an opaque format. Take for instance the color green. Green has been found to be the easiest color on the human eye, and symbolizes nature, serenity, and refreshment. Most of the living things around us are green. It also is traditionally used to represent the concepts of durability, reliability, safety, honesty, optimism, harmony, and freshness. Brides used to wear green as a symbol of fertility. But on the other hand green is associated with envy. On this note however, despite all of these noble associations, when it comes to a web-site, most people are repelled by the color green, unless it is a site associated with nature and contains imagery of plant life. The reason for this is the lighted medium, what is normally a very easy color on the eyes becomes difficult to absorb with the added brightness. Most people tend to quickly leave a site that is done in shades of green.

Red can have either an attracting or a repelling effect depending on how and where it is used. Red is the most emotionally intense color. Studies show that it raises pulse and respiration in the observer. It is often associated with love, passion, anger, and impulsiveness. The good thing about using the color red, when used in small doses it does prompt people to be more impulsive, and make quicker decisions. This can be desirable when marketing a product, because it inspires a sense of excitement and adventure in your target. However, because it is such a strong color, if over used, it can be over powering and drive people away, especially with the added brightness of a computer screen. Generally with design it is recommended to use it as an accent, especially in coordination with high contrast schemes, as in a black and white theme.

Yellow should be used in small doses. It is an attention getter, but it is the most difficult color for the human eye to absorb. Studies show that babies are more apt to cry in yellow rooms, and people are quicker to lose their tempers. However it does stimulate concentration and the intellect, which is the reason legal pads are made from yellow paper. It is also shown to make people more decisive and confident, as well as inspiring optimism.

Blue generally causes the brain to produce chemicals that have a calming effect. It is statistically the most popular color, and tends to generate feelings of loyalty and stability. However blue should also be used carefully, because it can also have a cold and depressing effect. When combined with yellow, blue can help a designer create a high impact and pleasing lay-out. Also, blue combined with the lighted effect of a computer screen can create an ethereal sense when combined in the right shades. Blue has been shown also to increase productivity, even going so far as weight lifters being able to lift heavier weights in gyms that are painted blue.

Blue's close cousin, Purple can have a stunning visual affect too, depending on the shades chosen and other colors combined with it. It is generally associated with luxury and royalty. However, because of purple's rare occurrence in nature it can also be viewed as artificial. Moderation with this color is the key.

Black and White both should also be used with complementing accents. Black is symbolic of power, authority, and class, but with web-design, the high contrast can strain the eye, especially if it is used in a background with brightly colored text or images. Many companies providing affiliate programs often avoid sites that contain too much black, unwilling to associate themselves with companies that give a dark and moody sort of appearance. White should also be complimented with other colors as it alone appears too artificially sterile. However when combined correctly it can give a sense of honesty and purity.

These colors combined in any fashion can attract or repel people. If a person is giving an undesirable review of a product or web-site, they can use colors that people find repellant to punctuate their points. While designers use certain color combinations too instill a sense of security and exploit impulse. For instance when using the colors blue and yellow, the color blue will cause a person to surf slower and view the content longer. The yellow inspires a sense of optimism in the person and causes them to concentrate and remember the content. Black and white with red accents carries with its design a sense of elegance, authority, but purity and honesty, while the red brings out a person's excitement and sense of adventure, possibly allowing them to be more open to certain concepts, or more apt to make a purchase.

If you think colors don't affect the way you think and behave, you might just try surfing some sites and try gauging your first reaction. Also there are various sites out there that discuss the subject more in depth. For designers this is a necessary area of research to maximize the impacts of their designs. For consumers it might be practical to learn how marketing tries to exploit certain areas of psychology to lure you into buying products that might not always be the best product. Regardless of what reason you look into it though, it can be a fascinating and extensive field of study.