Galindo 1

Vivian Galindo

ENGL 1302-223

Dr. Sharity Nelson

13 February 2023

     Color Physiology: The Magnificent Impact it has on Humanity

Introduction

Color is such an impactful and vigorous presence in one’s lifetime. One must understand

the real reason behind why one chooses these certain colors, since it can enhance one's sense of

relaxation, advantage, and evaluation in their life span. Numerous psychological articles and

questionnaires have been utilized to research the issue to investigate if perhaps color influences

one’s moods and emotions and additionally devote only specific colors that complement our

physique and performance. Simply put, this suggests that color is a personal statement and

reveals the true essence of humanity. According to psychologists Strappavara and Ozabal,

“There are emotional and symbolic associations with different colors. This is also revealed in our

daily use of language, as we frequently make references to colors for increasing our

expressiveness by invoking different emotions” (Strapparava and Ozabal 31).

Methods

The participant took part in a series of trials involving concepts of color for seven

consecutive days and was broken down by three basic energy components: low, neutral, and high

energy. Additionally, each with its corresponding category of color: Achromatic, chromatic and

the final component was to examine a controversial color. To begin with, the first trial only
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focused on achromatic colors that consisted of white, brown, olive, pistachio, gray, sand, and

nude. Following, the second trail was based on Chromatic colors such as, fuchsia, cherry red,

yellow, orange, emerald green, sapphire blue, and purple. Finally, for the last trial, the participant

chose to evaluate a controversial color, which was solemnly black. Overall, the purpose of this

investigation was recorded by utilizing different combinations of color clothing, which

showcases the “final impression” the participant felt and acquired a sense of understanding about

how each color leads to a psychological approach.

Results 

  The significant data observed and collected from the lowest energy in the first trial was

brown, gray, and olive due to the participant’s mood being shifted in numerous ways. For

instance, they showcased moods of sadness, irritation, and tiredness and overall demonstrated

emotions of rationale and insipidness. In contrast to the lowest energy portion, the highest energy

was surprisingly the lightest colors from the achromatic section such as white, pistachio, and

nude. The partaker observed a pleasant, groovy transposal in mood and felt a sensation of breezy

softness and felt good-humored. Additionally, individuals exhibited behaviors of relaxation,

friendliness, and carefreeness; especially, when styling the color white since there was a

perceived aura that symbolizes liberality and balance. In the final analysis, these colors display

emotions of all-embracing and being balanced from within. Meanwhile, the only color that fell

into the neutral category from the first trial was sand due to behaviors of comfort, boredom,

sympathy, and emotions of being impassive and unclouded. Moreover, the second trial of this

experiment was for the participant to observe and examine chromatic colors. The color with the

lowest energy was purple. In an instant, the participant noticed a transformation in behavior

while utilizing the color purple, the participant noticed peculiar moods of frustration,
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gloominess, demand, and arrogance; in essence, emotions of negativity and apathy. Following,

the only color that showcased neutral energy from this category was the color emerald green.

The participant stated moods of hopefulness, kindness, and compassion. Overall, is perceived as

a vital individual that is peaceful and in harmony with spiritual growth, and friendliness. The

downside is that the individual who wears green very often is known to be very cocky, arrogant,

and greedy. Consequently, the cherry red color was one of the colors that the participant

uncovered various symbolisms, meanings, and associations and was typically scrutinized to have

positive and negative side effects such as power, anger, enchantment, and ruthlessness.

Additionally, the colors that represented the highest energies from this category were colors:

fuchsia, orange, yellow, and sapphire blue. Starting with, the fuchsia color the participant

experienced caring, loving, cheerful, intuition, and creativity behaviors. Essentially, the partaker

thought the color encouraged emotions of assurance, confidence, and dominance. All in all, the

partaker thought wearing the color fuchsia was exciting and wholesome. Following the approach

for the orange color, participants observed moods of alertness and strength and open-

mindedness. The remaining takeaway is the participant with an emotion of enthusiasm and

endurance. Meanwhile, by styling the color yellow the participant's moods were happiness,

uplifting, vivid, and warmth, and stimulated the participant's brain of being energized, unique,

and interactive. Lastly, the color sapphire blue and the participant was perceived as being

friendly and patient while wearing that specific color and had no negative side effects. The

individual claimed moods of blissfulness, creativity, patience, and tranquility and fundamentally,

felt emotions of power and resilience. Finally, the final trial was to investigate a controversial

color which was black. The color black runs deep and has a million forms of interpretations, the

participant significantly experienced neutral behaviors while wearing the color black such as
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moods of, indifference, Janus-faced, mystery, anxiety, frustration, and sadness at the same time

showcasing positive attitudes as well including, empowerment, dominance and intrigued and

initiative. In conclusion, the achromatic colors from the first trial demonstrated to have positive

and negative side effects. Even though all colors fall under the same category, The individual

experienced an imbalance while examining many different psychological formations and

foreshadowing forms of lower self-esteem and being a bitter person. Meanwhile, in the second

trial which was to test chromatic colors, there was a magnificent increase in mood and emotion

including positive effects of motivation and optimism, and stimulated ecstasy and higher self-

esteem. Lastly, the controversial color, which was black, aimed to have synthesized moods and

emotions towards the individual since black tends to have a universal effect and is positive nor

negative and can be used for someone to take charge and be confident while also rebellious and

suspenseful and mournful.

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Table 1

Color that causes a certain mental state each time the participant utilizes a color from each of the

following groups for seven consecutive days.

FIRST TRIAL: ACHROMATIC: Mood And Emotion : Low Energy : Neutral Energy : High Energy :

DAY 1 HIGH
DAY 2 TIRDENESS AND INSPIDNESS LOW
DAY 3 IRRITATION AND RATIONALE LOW
DAY 4 IMPASSIVE AND SERENE NEUTRAL
DAY 5 CALMNESS, TRANQULITY HIGH
DAY 6 HIGH

DAY 7 COLD-HEART UNSYMPATHETIC LOW

SECOND TRAIL : CHROMATIC:

DAY 1 EAGERNESS, ENTHUSAIAM HIGH

DAY 2 ENGERTIC, DYNAMIC, RUTHLESSNESS NEUTRAL
DAY 3 ACTIVE, BALANCED HIGH
DAY 4 ALERT, AWARE, ATTENTIONED HIGH
DAY 5 VIGOURUS AND STRENGTH NEUTRAL
DAY 6 CREATIVITY AND POWER HIGH
DAY 7 FRUSTRATION AND INDPENDANCE LOW

FINAL TRIAL : CONTOVERISAL COLOR:

TESTED ONCE INDIFFRENT AND EMPOWERMENT NEAUTRAL

  Discussion

This survey analysis aimed to investigate the effect of interpretations and the influence of

color. The results of this experiment showed that color truly has a significant effect on

intuitiveness and impression. The findings of this study had several other important implications.

First, atmosphere plays an essential role that expresses mood and conveys a dominant emotional

effect or appeal. According to author David Humane from Organizational Behavior claims, “But

do people in positive moods seek out social interactions or do social interactions cause people to

be in good moods it seems both are true and does the type of social activity matter indeed it does

research suggests that physical (skiing or hiking with friends) informal (going to a party) or
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Epicurean (eating with others) activities are more strongly associated with increases in positive

moods than formal” (Hume 269). Additionally, the participant hypothesis was indeed correct due

to incorporating matte colors such as black, brown, gray, purple, emerald, green, and sapphire

blue because each of these had multiple approaches to deeper moods and emotions. As

researchers, Terwogt and Meerum emphasized “Thus, dark colors are associated with heaviness,

red and warmth, and so on. Ties between colors and emotions then arise through such

associations as heavy-negative and warm-comfortable.” (Terwogt and Meerum 6). Also, culture

according to psychologists Terwogt and Hoekasma and others argued “Others have referred to

cultural roots. In the medieval heraldic system for instance, the color white was related to purity

and the color yellow hatred in fact, such a cultural explanation dates back in time, unless it is

assumed that such connections are already given in the human archetype” (Terwogt, Hoekasma;

et al. 6). Following, researchers Terwogt and Hoekasma claim “the phenomenon of synesthesia

that is reacting to a stimulus that belongs to one sense of modality with a sensation that belongs

to another sense of modality” (Terwogt and Hoekasma 6). Adding, “This explanation is not very

satisfying either. It does not explain where synesthesia comes form or how associations between

emotions and sense of perceptions such as warm and heavy are established. In sum, it is still not

yet clear why specific colors are tied to specific emotions” (Terwogt, Hoekasma; et al. 6).

Finally, authors Terwogt and Hoekasma concluded that “Colors and emotions are tied to each

other on the basis of the preferences given to each of them within their own domain. In other

words, we assumed that it is not necessary to refer to a common process, other than people’s

preferences, to explain connections between colors and emotions. Any pair of items, be it

emotions, colors, or something else (e.g., means of conveyance), can be ordered on a preference

scale” (Terwogt and Hoekasma 6). Adding, “It is conceivable that the link between two items
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within their respective domains. Items with similar positions on their respective scales will be

linked to each other. Thus, red might be linked to happiness and possibly to the airplane because

all these items hold relatively high positions on their relevant preference scales. Black could be

tied to fear and a bicycle in the same way (Terwogt and Hoekasma 6). Continuing, “Specifically,

any combination of color and emotion is more likely to occur when both have similar locations

on a person’s preferences scales for those dimensions” (Terwogt and Hoekasma 7). Finally,

gender differences in color preference are not always consistent and may be confounded by other

variables such as age and geography. Future research with our method could focus on gender

differences in preference for achromatic colors (Guilford & Smith, 1959), shades, tints, hues

(McInnis & Shearer, 1964), and chroma (Plater, 1967). Another promising avenue for further

research would be to compare dimensions of emotion (intensity, valence, etc.) with dimensions

of color space. One could ask, for example, whether the intensity of rated emotion tracks color

saturation or lightness (Meier, Robinson, & Clore, 2004) One could also examine whether men

and women (or participants of different ages) differ in how they apply color dimensions to

dimensions of emotion (Russell, 2003)” (Gilbert et al. 209). Overall, the experiment involved

participants appearing in multiple different pieces of color as well as understanding how the

individual is perceived by stimulating the mind. Emotional behaviors demonstrated that

saturation and bright components were associated with dependence on the hue. Additionally,

achromatic colors resulted in a temporal decrease in the observer’s interactions, activities, and

state; whereas, chromatic colors increase an observer’s state of mind. Without a doubt, it could

be understood and perceived that color does have power and control in one’s moods and

emotions as well as complements one’s physique.

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Works-Cited 

. Gilbert, Avery N. and Alan J. Fridlund “The color of emotion: A Metric for Implicit Color

Associations.” Food Quality and Preferences, vol. 52, 2016, pp. 203-210. ScienceDirect, The

color of emotion: A metric for implicit color associations.

Hume, David. "Emotions and Moods." 2012, pp. 258-297. Organizational

Behavior. Emotions and moods.

Strapparava, Carlo, and Gözde Özbal. "The Color of Emotions in Texts." 2010, pp. 28-32.

Proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Cognitive Aspects of the Lexicon. The

color of emotions in texts.

Terwogt, Mark Meerum, and Jan B. Hoekasma. "Colors and Emotions: Preferences and

Combinations." vol.122, no.1, 1995, pp.5-17. The Journal of General Psychology.

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