Color is all around us, but what influence does it have on our moods, emotions, and behaviors? Can it?
Understanding color
Color is the aspect of things that’s caused by differing qualities of light being reflected or emitted by them. To see color, you’ve got to have light. When light hits objects, some of the wavelengths are absorbed, and some are reflected, depending on the materials in the object.
The reflected wavelengths are what we perceive as the object’s color. The world is full of light. Visible light is made of seven wavelength groups. These are the colors you see in a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet — VIBGYOR.
Color is all in the mind
All light rays contain color. Light is made of electromagnetic waves. Different colors have different wavelengths, which is the distance between corresponding parts of two of the waves.
The longest wavelength of light that humans can see is red. The shortest is violet. Ultraviolet has an even shorter wavelength, but humans cannot see it. Some birds and bees can see ultraviolet light. Infrared has a longer wavelength than red light, and humans can’t see this light but can feel the heating infrared generates.
Color is the aspect of visual perception produced by the way light interacts with objects and how our visual system processes that light. Visible light occupies only a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, with different wavelengths corresponding to different perceived colors (Goldstein, 2014).
The neuroscience of color
Color doesn’t exist as a property of objects — it’s created by the brain. Light reflected from objects is detected by cone cells in the retina, and the brain’s visual cortex processes these signals into the colors we perceive. In other words, color is a construction of the mind rather than a direct feature of the physical world.
Color isn’t simply a property of an object; it’s also a product of perception. The brain interprets incoming light based on the wavelengths reaching the eye, as well as surrounding colors, illumination, and context (Brainard & Stockman, 2010; Gegenfurtner, 2003).
Color is just a perception
From the standpoint of physics, our perceptions are inherently false. What we see as a cell phone or a tiger are just clouds of tiny particles held together by powerful electrical forces.
But despite our disconnect from the true nature of reality, our perceptions are probably the most important condition of being alive. The magic of perception is that each person creates his or her meaning through perception. And although our perception is personal, underlying much of it’s a common thread that runs throughout humanity, and may also extend to other animals, as well.
Take the color red. Unless you are color blind, the wavelengths of light that correspond to what we perceive as red will produce similar effects on people. The power of red also extends to the realm of sexual attraction. So, our perceptions of red are more than a conscious acknowledgment of a color found on tomatoes, roses, or blood. There’s a subtle — often unconscious — act of creation that occurs every time red flashes before our eyes.
The only information that our color vision can use as an input is essentially the three red, green, and blue filtered black and white images that we see. The colors we see don’t t exist in the physical world; rather, the physical world only has the light of different wavelengths.
Color isn’t simply a property of an object; it’s also a product of perception. The brain interprets incoming light based on the wavelengths reaching the eye, as well as surrounding colors, illumination, and context (Brainard & Stockman, 2010; Gegenfurtner, 2003).
Color temperature
Color temperature refers to the warmth or coolness of light and is measured in Kelvin. Psychologically, we tend to associate red, orange, and yellow with heat, while blue is often perceived as cool, calm, and soothing (Elliot & Maier, 2014).
Physically, however, the relationship is counterintuitive: lower temperatures produce warmer, reddish light, such as candlelight and tungsten light, while higher temperatures produce cooler, bluish light, such as daylight and a clear blue sky. So, what feels hot or cold to our minds isn’t necessarily what the physics tells us.
Research also suggests that colour can influence how we perceive temperature itself, making this relationship even more fascinating (Ho et al., 2014).
Color wheel, schemes, and psychology
It’s the study of hues as a determinant of human behavior. It influences perceptions that aren’t obvious, such as the taste of food. It can also enhance the effectiveness of placebos.
For example, red or orange pills are generally used as stimulants. It can indeed influence a person; however, it’s important to remember that these effects differ between people. Factors such as gender, age, and culture can influence how an individual perceives color.
Colors can influence how we feel and behave, although these effects aren’t universal. Red, for example, is often associated with excitement, danger, or arousal, while blue is frequently associated with calmness and stability. However, context, culture, personal experience, and the specific shade of a color can all influence these responses (Elliot & Maier, 2014; Labrecque & Milne, 2012).
Colors have deep subliminal meanings that affect our thinking and rationality. They have symbolic meanings that change among different cultures and countries and create different emotions and moods.
Color psychology is also widely used in marketing and branding. Many marketers see color as a vital part of marketing because color can be used to influence consumers’ emotions and perceptions of goods and services.
Our interpretation of color isn’t purely biological. Cultural traditions and learned associations can give the same color very different meanings across societies (Elliot & Maier, 2014).
Emotions and moods
While color perception is partly subjective, some effects appear to be broadly shared. Colors such as red, orange, and yellow are often associated with energy, excitement, passion, and warmth, but may also evoke urgency, anger, or danger. Colors such as blue, green, and purple are commonly linked to calmness, stability, relaxation, and reflection, though in some contexts they may suggest sadness or emotional distance.
Research suggests that color can subtly influence attention, mood, decision-making, and physiological arousal, including heart rate and alertness. This makes color relevant across education, healthcare, marketing, architecture, product design, and visual storytelling. However, these effects are generally modest rather than universal, shaped by personal experience, culture, age, and context.
Experts have found that while color can influence how we feel and act, these effects are shaped by biological, psychological, cultural, and situational factors. Although neuroscience and psychology continue to uncover fascinating insights into how the brain processes color, much remains to be understood about its complex influence on human behavior.
How do animals see color?
Humans aren’t the only creatures that perceive color, but different animals experience it in very different ways. Dogs see fewer colors than humans, mainly shades of blue and yellow, while many birds can see ultraviolet (UV) light, revealing patterns on flowers and feathers that are invisible to us. Bees also detect UV light to locate nectar, and some mantis shrimp possess one of the most complex visual systems in the animal kingdom, with many more types of color receptors than humans.
These differences remind us that color isn’t an absolute property of the world — it’s shaped by the visual system of the observer.
Color in branding
Companies also use color when deciding on brand logos. These logos seem to attract more customers when the color of the brand logo matches the personality of the goods or services.
However, colors aren’t only important for logos and products, but also for window displays in stores. Research shows that warm colors tend to attract spontaneous purchasers, despite cooler colors being more favorable.
Color, attention, and memory
Bright, contrasting colors naturally attract our attention, which is why they’re often used in warning signs, educational materials, and user interfaces.
Research also suggests that using color thoughtfully can improve memory and learning by helping the brain organize and recall important information. However, using too many colors can become distracting and increase cognitive load.
Using color intentionally in visual storytelling
Color is most powerful when it’s planned rather than added as an afterthought. Filmmakers and designers use color to communicate emotions without words. Warm colors like red, orange, and yellow often convey energy, passion, or tension, while cooler colors such as blue and green can evoke calmness, mystery, or isolation. Color palettes help shape mood, guide attention, and strengthen visual storytelling.
Pre-production: Create a simple color script — a visual timeline showing the color palette for each scene. This helps ensure that colors support the emotional journey of the story.
Production: Pay attention to costumes, props, and backgrounds. A character dressed in muted tones who suddenly wears a bright color can communicate change, confidence, or conflict without any dialogue.
Post-production: Use color grading to reinforce the story’s emotional tone, not just to create a stylish look. The goal isn’t to make a scene warmer or cooler, but to choose colors that feel authentic to the emotions the audience should experience.
Filmmakers and designers can use color, contrast, saturation, and palette shifts to establish mood, direct attention, create visual continuity, or signal narrative shifts (Block, 2020; Bellantoni, 2005).
Conclusion
Color is far more than what meets the eye. It sits at the intersection of physics, perception, emotion, culture, and cognition.
The properties of an object’s surface determine how it reflects or absorbs light, producing different sensations in the eye. Yet, the colors we experience aren’t properties of objects themselves; they’re created by the brain as it interprets different wavelengths of light in relation to context, experience, and environment (Elliot & Maier, 2014).
Perhaps that’s what makes color so fascinating: the same color can carry a physical property, a psychological meaning, and a cultural story — all at the same time.
Understanding color, therefore, isn’t just about learning what colors are; it’s about understanding how we perceive, interpret, and make meaning from the world around us. What appears to be a simple visual experience is, in reality, a complex interaction between light, the eyes, the brain, and our lived experience.
In many ways, color is as much a product of the mind as it’s of the physical world.
