How Color Affects Mood & Emotion

Yellow is commonly linked to feelings of happiness and joy. It is often used to create cheerful and positive environments. It is also known to evoke feelings of:

• Warmth: Yellow is associated with the warmth of the sun and can create a welcoming and inviting atmosphere.
• Optimism: The bright and light nature of yellow often symbolizes optimism and positivity.
• Energy: Yellow is perceived as energetic and lively. It can stimulate mental activity and generate a sense of excitement.
• Attention-grabbing: Due to its brightness, yellow can quickly catch the eye, which is why it's used in warning signs and advertisements.

On the flip side, very intense or saturated yellow can be overwhelming and cause visual fatigue. It can also be associated with caution or warning, potentially creating a sense of unease.

In design, avoid using bright yellow for backgrounds as it can cause severe eyestrain and hurt readability. Use it sparingly and only to attract attention to important elements.

Looking at certain blue shades can help reduce stress and create a sense of tranquility. Light blue, in particular, is very soothing and helps people feel at ease. In fact, staring at the sea, ocean, lake, or just a swimming pool causes an increase in neurochemicals that make us feel calmer, happier, and more relaxed.^[2]

Green is another calming color, symbolizing nature and growth. It can make people feel refreshed and relaxed, making it a great choice for spaces where relaxation is important​.

White is also known for its calming effects in Western cultures. It creates a sense of cleanliness and simplicity, often making spaces feel more open and peaceful.^[3] On the other hand, keep in mind that it also symbolizes death and sadness in many Eastern cultures.^[4]

Navy blue is widely used to convey trust, reliability, and professionalism. It is a popular choice for financial institutions and tech companies because it instills confidence and security​.^[1] 

Like blue, green is a color of nature and also signifies safety and peace — think of green on traffic lights.

White represents purity, simplicity, and clarity. It is frequently used in healthcare and technology to suggest cleanliness and straightforwardness.

Gray is seen as neutral and balanced, often representing professionalism and formality. Many corporate brands use gray to convey stability and maturity, which translates to trustworthiness.

Red is often considered a color of winners. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, contestants of 4 combat sports (boxing, tae kwon do, Greco-Roman wrestling, and freestyle wrestling) were randomly assigned to wear a red or blue uniform. Scientists from the University of Durham in England found that athletes wearing red won 55% of the time.^[5]

Although some scientists are skeptical about these findings, the stimulating power of red is undeniable. Being exposed to red can increase blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration rate. More importantly, red enhances metabolism and appetite.^[6]

Other colors like yellow, orange, bright green, and bright pink also evoke motivation and enthusiasm for life and action.

Color affects our mood, but can it influence our mental health? Researchers at the Aalborg University of Copenhagen conducted an experiment observing the brain activity of blindfolded participants being exposed to different colors of light. Red light stimulates people's brains, while green light yields relaxation and tranquillity.^[7]

Greens and blues symbolize nature and tend to make people feel serene, peaceful, and relaxed. Notably, several studies have revealed how having access to blue spaces might improve health and well-being.^[8]

You rarely find purple in nature, so it's commonly associated with mysterious, spiritual, and divine substances. The binary properties of purple — the combination of intense, stimulating red and calming, tranquil blue — encourage imagination and boost creativity. Notably, purple dye was very rare and extremely expensive in ancient times. Because only rich individuals could afford such costly goods, this color became the symbol of both wealth and royalty.^[9]

Other colors that boost creativity include yellow for its cheerful energy, orange for enthusiasm, green for its calming and renewing qualities, blue for promoting peace and reducing stress, and pink for its playful and nurturing vibes. 

In Western cultures, pink is traditionally associated with feminine traits like softness, kindness, nurturing, and compassion. However, with shifting gender roles, designers should be cautious when applying these associations. Pink is also often connected with love, and romance, and has relaxing and rejuvenating qualities, making it suitable for caring or nurturing purposes.

The phenomenon of Drunk-Tank Pink, also known as Baker-Miller Pink or Schauss Pink, claims that this particular tone of pink helps lower the heart rate, pulse, and respiration.

According to studies, prisoners placed in cells with pink-painted walls at the Naval correctional facility demonstrated a reduction of hostile, violent, or aggressive behavior.^[10] Other experiments, though, like the one at the Santa Clara County Jail, proved the opposite. The positive effect took place during only the first month of exposure to the color but then rose after that. ^[11]

All colors have different meanings under different contexts but shades of red and orange are the most contradictory. On the one hand, they stand for warmth and love, as well as passion, energy, and desire. On the other hand, these colors represent power, aggressiveness, violence, and danger.

Being one of the most visible colors in the color spectrum makes red a winner when it comes to grabbing attention. A red traffic light, warning, or stop sign does more than inform people. It warns them of a looming threat.

Orange, on the other hand, is often described as bright, happy, and uplifting. However, a by-product of red and yellow, highly saturated orange can appear fierce, and aggressive.

Grounded colors evoke a sense of stability, reliability, and connection to the earth. These hues are often used in design to create a warm, secure, and natural atmosphere.

Brown represents the earth and nature, conveying reliability, stability, and comfort. Companies like UPS, Hershey's, Cotton, Edy's, J.P. Morgan, and M&M use brown in their branding and marketing strategies to signify strong relations, reliability, and dependability.^[12]

Shades of green like olive, moss, and forest green are linked to nature and growth. Neutral tones like beige, taupe, and cream are versatile and calming. They create a sense of warmth and simplicity in a design. Gray adds understated elegance, making designs feel grounded and composed.

If asked to name the first color that comes to your mind when you hear the word "alarming," you're likely to say "red." Among many cultures, red stands for blood, fire, anger, and even rage. Notably, the expression "see red" is based on our physical reaction when we're upset — our blood pressure rises, making our face and neck turn red.^[13]

Red is fantastic for warnings and drawing attention but use this color thoughtfully only for critical information to avoid alarming users unnecessarily.