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Jillian Ulrich

ENG 1201 - 513

Professor Bell

15 November 2019

Impact of Color Theory

Russian painter and art theorist Wassily Kandinsky once said that, “each color

lives by its mysterious life.” The topic of color theory puzzles me as I think of all the

different colors in the world and the endless possibilities of color combinations. Colors

are present everyday are are portrayed through business logos, nature, interior design,

clothing and much more. My curiosity led me to dig deep into why colors are so

important in this world and how they can make a difference. After furthering my

research into the topic, I found that color has the ability to alter an individual's way of

thinking, the way they behave, and can even change their actions. Investing in color

theory for the design of our public and private spaces could make big positive impacts.

These impacts include businesses, symptoms of anxiety, crime rates, and prison

behavior.

Before understanding color theory, the knowledge of color and how they mix

must be understood. There are many known colors such as red, green, blue, orange,

yellow, purple, brown, white, black, etc. Colors are put into one of two categories

known as warm colors and cool colors. Warm colors are colors that are very bright and

bold. These colors include, yellow, red, orange, and brown. Cool colors are colors that

are not overpowering such as green, blue, indigo, violet and purple (Dupont 6). Along

with these categories, colors are also categorized into primary colors, secondary colors,
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and tertiary colors. Primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. When two primary colors

are mixed, they can create different colors called secondary colors. These colors

include green, orange, and purple. Tertiary colors are made when a primary color is

mixed with a secondary color. Teal, vermillion, magenta, violet, chartreuse, and amber

are the six different tertiary colors. Color theory is all about the effect that color

combinations can give to individuals.

Color theory is the focus and study of the effect of color combinations. Colors are

said to send different messages to individuals and alter their mindset. In the study

performed by Dupont, she proceeds to claim that each of these colors symbolize a

different emotion. Red symbolizes love, power, and ambition. Orange symbolizes

energy, fire, and enthusiasm. Yellow symbolizes joy, happiness, and optimism. Brown

symbolizes boldness, roughness, and stability. Blue symbolizes trust, wisdom,

dependability. Green symbolizes growth, generosity, and intelligence. Pink symbolizes

innocence, tranquility, and admiration. Indigo symbolizes spirituality and intuition. Violet

symbolizes magic. Finally, royalty symbolizes envy, misery, sensuality. This is important

to color theory and studies relating to the topic because using these messages and

symbols that colors portray can help us to understand why color is so important in the

world and how we can use them to benefit others (Dupont 10).

With the use of primary colors, there have been studies conducted that suggest

the color blue has the ability to decrease symptoms of anxiety. In the article, “Effect of

Blue Color On Anxiety In College Students”, written by Azeemi et al. a study was

conducted using chromotherapy, the science of using colors to heal, on students that

have identified with having anxiety. This theory was tested by gathering 150 students
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and splitting them into two different groups. One group was directed to drink blue water

three times a day after meals for six weeks and watch blue glass sheets before they go

to bed. The other group was advised to go on with their daily lives without changing any

of their daily activities. After the study, they concluded that the use of chromotherapy is

more beneficial than receiving no care at all. They found that in the control group, there

were reports of having worse anxiety the longer the study went on, and saw that most

reported that their anxiety was the same. In the group with chromotherapy, there were

no reports of having worse anxiety, and many people reported that it had improved.

They noted that having daily sessions of chromotherapy, reduced insomnia, headaches,

and heart palpitations. The color blue has the ability to alter feelings, responses, and

thoughts. This information proves that chromotherapy can provide potential benefits to

those who are suffering from anxiety by using forms of the color blue.

In addition to the experiment listed above, there have been other studies

suggesting that different colors may also help reduce symptoms of anxiety. In the Ted

Talk, “The Language of Color”, by Axel Buether, he studied the relationship between

colors of clothing and the effect it had on those who wore that color. He studied this

theory of his using the basic colors such as red, green, blue, yellow, violet, orange, pink,

brown, silver, and gold. When forming his experiment on color language, he gathered

500 subjects and asked them to wear one color for 24 hours while interacting with

others and to document their behavior. At the end of the study, he concluded that the

different colors of clothing made the subjects feel a different emotion. Grey made them

feel depressed, violet made them feel cheerful and peaceful, red made them feel
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powerful and seductive, blue made them feel as if they were immersed or part of

something, white made them feel innocent and pure, black made them feel cool and

detached, green made them feel playful and regenerated, yellow made them feel

activated and sometimes sick, brown made them feel modest and well, orange made

them feel energized and strong, gold made them feel wealthy and proud, pink made

them feel innocent and feminine, and finally, silver made them feel graceful and proud

as well. This study can show all of the different emotions that colors can give off and

they also can be related back to people with anxiety. Grey, black and yellow can be

seen as negative colors because they are associated with negative feelings. Violet,

green, brown, orange, gold, pink, and silver can be seen as positive colors because

they are associated with positive feelings. This study can also be linked back to patients

suffering from anxiety and depression and how possible positive outcomes can come

from eliminating certain colors of clothing.

Although color plays an important role in the health of individuals, colors are also

known to have the ability to influence business logos and the colors that they use within

their buildings. In another Ted Talk, “The Power of Color” , by Jean Gabriel Causse, he

described many studies that were performed to find out which colors worked best for

different brands. He gave studies on Google, P&G laundry detergent, and wine. In these

studies, Google wanted to know what shade of blue would get more clicks for their trade

link. They tested over 50 shades of blue, and found that changing the shade of blue to

the one that receives the most clicks earned them over 200 million dollars. P&G wanted

to test if there was a difference between white detergent and changing the color using

colorful glitter. The subjects for this experiment were housewives that used red, yellow,
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and blue detergent. After two months of testing different detergents, they concluded that

blue was the one that provided the best wash for the laundry. They found that the

subjects who used yellow felt that their laundry was not clean, and those who used red

felt that it damaged the laundry because it was too powerful. When concluding this

study, he made the connection that most detergent companies in today’s world use a

blue logo because of these results. Wine studies revealed that subjects who had seen

red wine reported tasting strawberries and leather, while a white wine tasted like lemon

and butter. These tastes that the subjects were reporting were reflective of the color of

wine they were drinking. This lead him to believe that color can alter your taste.

The relationship between the perception of color and the color used in logos is

another important role that color plays. In another study, Jessica Ridgway, author of

“Brand Personality”, studies this relationship and finds that there is an association. She

forms three hypotheses to find out if color has an impact on the massage company

logos send. During her first hypothesis, she studies whether or not customers associate

colors with different feelings. She found that this was true and they associate blue with

trustworthiness, red with passion, green with health, pink with fun, yellow with energy,

and purple with playfulness. In her second hypothesis, she tested if colors were

associated with personality traits. After her studies, she found that they were associated

with personality traits. Blue was tied to confidence, green was tied to humbleness, pink

was tied to young, red was tied to daring, yellow was tied to cheerful, and purple was

tied to confidence as well. Finally, in her third hypothesis, she studied whether or not

feeling and personality traits were alike, and if the company logos were considered

appropriate by the subjects. The subjects said that blue, green, red and yellow were
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considered appropriate colors for logs. They also said that pink and purple were

considered inappropriate. At the end of her studies she concluded that colors affect

marketing and brands, and that the color of logos can help customers to make educated

decisions about how the brand markets their products. According to Kendra Cherry,

author of, “Can Color Affect Your Mood And Behavior”, she writes that the color of cars

have to do with how others want to be perceived. If an individual is interested in buying

a red car, it might mean that they want to be noticed because the color red gives off a

powerful and confident feeling. If an individual is interested in buying a blue car, they

might be thinking about their family because the color blue gives off a stable and safe

feeling.

Colors not only have to do with branding and logos, they also play a role in how

businesses decorate their interior and exterior. Alyssa Dupont, author of, “An

Examination of Chain Restaurants Exterior Colors And Logos Colors”, tested two

hypotheses to find out which colors are used the most on the exterior of restaurants and

if the colors used are warm or cool colors. For her first hypothesis, she finds that the top

six most common exterior colors are red, white, yellow, black, green and blue. For her

second hypothesis, she finds that 67% of restaurants used warm colors in their exterior

and in their logos. She then concludes that red is the most popular color used in

restaurants. Dupont also states that, “red triggers stimulation, increases appetite, and

attracts attention” which could be the reason why so many restaurant chains use the

color red for decoration.

Emotion is impacted by choice of color and can allow for tranquility, lower crime

rates and lower suicide rates. In the book, Drunk Tank Pink, written by Adam Alter, he
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explains that researcher Alexander Schass began an experiment in 1979 at the U.S.

Naval Correctional Center in Seattle, Washington. This study included 153 men and two

pieces of cardboard. One piece of cardboard was painted blue, while the other was

painted pink. He studied the strength in the subjects by pushing down on their arms

while they were staring at the color. He found that all but two subjects had gotten

weaker when looking at the pink color, and that the blue color made them stronger. He

again tested this experiment by having the subjects squeeze a dynamometer which

measured strength. He found again that they were weaker when looking at the color

pink. Since this significant finding, other people have started to begin using the color

pink. He then suggested that this color be put in holding cells for inmates to reduce

violence. He found that when inmates are in the pink room for a short period of time

they become less agitated and violent towards others. It was after these significant

findings that he decided to name the color drunk tank pink. See figure 1.0 for the visual

image of the color drunk tank pink.

Figure 1.0. Drunk Tank Pink Color Swatch:

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As the color drunk tank pink became more popular, other people in the world

started to adopt these findings and use them to their advantage. All of the testing using

this color showed positive results for the decline of violence. Public housing buildings

provided by the government started to paint the interior of their building in the pink color

and noticed that there was a dramatic decrease of violent behavior within the home.

Shortly after that, buss companies within the area started to change out their seats

inside of the bus for the same shade of pink that was used in the holding cells. These

pink seats helped companies decrease the amount of vandalism that was occuring. It is

also said that charity workers at United Way received more donations from individuals if

they were wearing drunk tank pink. This color had an affect on the donors causing them

to give two to three times the amount of donations that workers not wearing the color

pink would receive. Football teams at The University of Iowa and Colorado State also

adopted the findings by using the color in the opposing team's locker rooms. They
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thought that if the color made inmates less violent and more clam, then it would have

the same effect on the opposing team and increase their chances of winning the game.

Athletes that wore boxers also decided to wear pink underwear when in the ring to

make their opponents weaker. Which would make it easier for them to win matches

(Alter, 2013).

Pink is not the only color to have an affect on individuals, other colors have also

been shown to impact emotions. In Japan, blue streetlights were installed in high crime

areas to help them look prettier. Aftter they were installed, they found that there was

less littering in these areas along with a nine percent decrease in the amount of crime,

and a decrease in the number of suicide attempts. Blue-green light is proven to trigger

circadian rhythm and is known to help those working night shifts and those who suffer

from seasonal affective disorder. This light has the shortest wavelength which is why

some researchers say that it can energize people (Alter, 2013).

The color red was proven to increase blood flow and have responses in the

nervous system due to a study from Swiss psychologist Hermann Rorschach. He

studied two different groups, one that was considered “normal” and the other was made

up of schizophrenic patients in a nearby hospital. He put the groups into two different

rooms and measured the amount of trembling in their hands. When put into the white

room, there was little tremoring between each of the groups. When submerged into the

red room, there was little tremoring reported for the “normal” group and significant

tremoring for the schizophrenic group. This study lead to the conclusion that red could

stimulate the nervous system and enhance blood flow. Another study with the color red

was completed by researchers studying the usage of red pens. They wanted to find out
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if the color red had an impact on academic performance. They found that using a red

pen during a test or seeing the color red before the test lowered test scores. They

concluded that red activates the right hemisphere of the brain where the frontal cortex is

located. Also within this area, the avoidance motivation part of the brain sits. This part of

the brain is concerned about failing and focuses on doing bad instead of focusing on

succeeding (Alter, 2013).

Although there are many good things and ideas that can come from colors, there

are also negative findings that can appear. When discussing the color drunk tank pink, it

was shown that for periods less than fifteen minutes it can reduce agitation and violence

in holding cells. Shuass who studied this theory, also noticed that if inmates were

submerged in the color for too long it made them even more violent than they were

when they first came in. Also, another drawback of color theory is that many individuals

may not have the same perception and color connection that another individual may

have. For example, Ridgway writes that, green is associated with health, pink with fun,

yellow with energy, and purple with playfulness. In Dupont’s article she writes that green

symbolizes growth and generosity, pink symbolizes tranquility and innocence, and

yellow symbolizes happiness and optimism. Although these symbols and associations

are similar to one another, there is a chance that different colors can mean different

things to people. In order to better understand the connection between color and

emotion, more scientific studies and observations should be made. With these studies

and increased funding, confirming the association between color and emotion can make
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a huge impact in the world and can offer many benefits such as better moods, thoughts,

and safer actions.

Color theory is a powerful tool because the positive impacts could potentially be

endless. If everyone knew that color influences businesses, customers could look for

stores that are trying to provide dependability vs those who are trying to increase sales.

They can know that the color red stimulates appetite, and blue is known as the color of

trustworthiness. If officials knew that color can calm inmates, reduce suicde, and reduce

crime, they could use more of the color blue in different cities to help people feel safer. If

care providers knew that colors can decrease symptoms of anxiety and provide relief to

those who are struggling, they would educate themselves on the importance of color

theory and how to help those in need.

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Works Cited

Alter, Adam. Drunk Tank Pink: And How Other Unexpected Forces That Shape

How We Think, Feel, Behave. , 2013. Print

Azeemi, Samina, et al. “Effect of Blue Colour On Anxiety In College Students .”

Chinese Medicine, vol. 9, 6 Mar. 2018, pp. 1–6.,

http://file.scirp.org/pdf/CM_2018030514460242.pdf.

Buether, Axel. “ mThe Language Of Color - Effects On Our Experience And

Behavior .” Youtube.com, TEDxKielUniversity, 18 Dec. 2017,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCNWPu0ScjA.

Causse, Jean Gabriel.“The Power Of Color.” Youtube.com, TEDxDunkerque, 4

Feb. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxpl7judCwY.

Cherry, Kendra. “Can Color Affect Your Mood and Behavior?” Verywell Mind,

Verywell Mind, 17 July 2019, https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-

2795824.

“Drunk Tank Pink Color Swatch.” Medicalxpress, Science X Network , 27 Sept.

2018, https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-09-pink-pacify.html.

Dupont, Alyssa Mary, "An Examination Of Chain Restaurants Exterior Colors And

Logo Colors" (2014). Honors Theses and Capstones. 169.

https://scholars.unh.edu/honors/169.
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Ridgway, Jessica Lee. Brand personality: consumer's perceptions of color used

in brand logos. Diss. University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011.

https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/14966/research.pd

f?sequence=2&isAllowed.