Red is said to be the first of the colors to receive a name. This tonality is part of the so-called primary colors and we can find it in many elements that are found in our day to day, in nature, clothing, advertising... however, throughout history, it has acquired different meanings and connotations. The color red has been a sign of power and nobility, anger, aggressiveness, love, passion and even, in some oriental cultures, happiness.
From color psychology studies, it has been shown that red captures our attention in a very remarkable way and greatly stimulates the sense of sight. In this Psychology-Online article, we will explain in detail what does the color red mean in psychology and how this meaning affects our day to day.
Index
- What is the psychology of colors
- What does the color red convey: psychological meaning
- The color red in advertising
- Spiritual meaning of the color red
What is the psychology of colors.
This body of research in psychology has aroused much curiosity in society.
The psychology of colors is therefore defined as the field of study aimed at investigating the effect that has the spectrum of tones and colors in the emotions, decisions and behavior of beings humans. Although it is true that it is a sector that has much to investigate, a lot is being invested in it so that, over time, it becomes an important field in scientific research and psychological. It is undeniable that colors affect the brain, now we must find out how they do it.
What does the color red convey: psychological meaning.
As we have initially mentioned, the psychological meaning of the color red is one of the broadest. It has many connotations and some of them vary by culture. For many, it is not just a mental effect, but a spiritual meaning. We will explain in detail below what does the color red mean in psychology?
Passion
Red is a very strident and visually striking color, it even has effects on our heart rate and usually produces a noticeable neural activation. For the same reason, it is usually associated with passionate and energetic feelings, whether they are positive passions (love) and negative (go to).
Danger
Since the beginning of history, the human being has observed this color sprout from inside his body and leave the flames that devastated their lands, the red has meant for our species a sign that something was happening alarming. For that reason, our body activates the physiological stress reactions when we see that color. In addition, this psychological effect has been exploited to use red in prohibition, danger and alarm signs.
Warmth
The same color that produces excitement, activation and alarm, can also make us feel welcomed. The psychological influences of red are very numerous and, in this case, we feel warm when the tone of this color is not too strident. In Western culture, it is also associated to love and sensuality, That is why certain red garments tend to have sexual connotations.
It is curious to comment that in certain cultures red symbolizes joy. In China, for example, red is used as an adjective to define a business is thriving or a person who has good fortune. The color red in eastern cultures It means good luck and happiness, it is also said to connect with nature by being associated with the most earthly chakra.
Do you want to know what the psychologist thinks Eva Heller about the color red? You can consult a summary of his book by clicking here: The psychology of color according to Eva Heller.
The color red in advertising.
Although it can be quite tiring for the eyes, in advertising they use this color a lot to convey warmth, using slightly saturated shades of red, or dynamism by more strident reds. If we think about it, surely more than one brand that uses that color in its logo will come to mind. Red is also used to denote urgency and alarm, many times we create the need to buy or use a product by using this color in their advertisements.
On a physical level, it increases our heart rate, increases appetite and evokes strong emotions, which is why in the marketing world they also use red to attract compulsive shoppers.
We also associate red with trends socialist policies, This association is given by a tradition of these parties to use the same color, paying tribute to the struggle and the origin of socialism.
Spiritual meaning of the color red.
Colors are also associated with various symbolisms and spirituality, it is said that this association is due to effect of the vibratory energy of colors on our soul, however, there are not too many confirmations of it.
In this case, the spiritual meaning of the color red is related to the healing rituals hundreds of years ago and with the representation of fire in our culture. For example:
- For alchemists of the Middle Ages, the color red symbolized prosperity and implied that their experiments were progressing properly.
- Centuries ago, doctors used blankets and red curtains to help heal measles patients, they believed that that way they would be cured sooner.
- The emperors and great nobles dressed in red accessories to show that they had a lot of money, this was because the dye of that color was the most expensive to get.
For these reasons, under a more mystical interpretation, red is said to be a symbol of life, health, strength, attraction and power.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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