Domicele Jonauskaite, PhD, discusses the universal and cultural connections between color and emotion, the controversy surrounding drunk tank pink, the impact of chromotherapy on mental health, the association between colors and emotions, and the psychological meaning of color.
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Quick takeaways
Color-emotion associations are universal, although culture-specific associations also exist, suggesting that color-emotion associations are learned through societal influences.
Colors alone do not trigger specific emotions; individual experiences, cultural context, and personal associations with colors play a more significant role in emotional responses.
Deep dives
Universal color-emotion associations
Research conducted by Dr. Domencella Jonaskeita reveals that the links between colors and emotions are universal. Regardless of cultural background, people across the globe associate red with anger and love, yellow with joy, and black with sadness. While there are also culture-specific associations, cultural factors tend to shape universally-based color-emotion associations. This suggests that color-emotion associations are learned over time through societal influences. Additionally, research on blind participants shows that even individuals who have never seen colors in their lives can still associate colors with emotions in a similar way. This reinforces the idea that color-emotion associations are conceptual rather than solely based on perceptual experiences.
The limited impact of colors on emotions
Despite the common color-emotion associations, research indicates that colors do not have a significant or specific impact on emotions. Studies on the effects of color on emotions yield contradictory results, suggesting that colors alone do not trigger specific emotions. For instance, exposure to a red room may increase arousal, but the effects are not highly specific. Factors such as individual experiences, cultural context, and personal associations with colors play a more significant role in emotional responses than the colors themselves. Therefore, the relationship between colors and emotions is primarily a cognitive one rather than a direct physiological response.
Favorite colors, gender differences, and color stereotypes
Research conducted on favorite color preferences indicates that blue is consistently the most liked color worldwide. However, there is minimal correlation between favorite colors and personality traits. Claims that certain favorite colors reflect specific personality characteristics lack scientific evidence. Furthermore, while there is variability in color knowledge among individuals, there is no significant difference between men and women in perceiving and naming colors. The gender stereotype that women notice and describe more shades of colors is not supported by research findings. Additionally, the association between pink and girls and blue and boys is a relatively recent societal construct that has become prevalent across cultures.
When you’re sad, do you say that you’re feeling blue? Have you ever felt green with envy? Domicele Jonauskaite, PhD, of the University of Vienna, discusses why language so often links color with emotion, whether those links are universal or differ by culture, whether colors can actually make us feel calm or sad or angry, why people’s favorite colors don’t really tell us anything about their personality, and more.