If you’re trying to foster the right feelings and attitudes in your everyday life, consider harnessing the psychological power of colors. The effects that colors have on our mental state are well understood; this is why fast food logos are all red and yellow, and why black and white cars are not pulled over as much as red or neon green cars. The four primary psychological colors, and the effects they are known for, are as follows:
- Red: This is the color that relates most strongly to the physical. It is a color of strength, courage, excitement, and basic survival instincts. It makes things appear closer than they actually are, grabbing your attention. Red rooms heighten the appetite and encourage aggression.
- Blue: The intellectual color, blue is known for being soothing, logical, and conducive of trust. A blue environment encourages calm and rational thought, though it can also be perceived as unemotional and unfriendly.
- Yellow: Yellow relates most to the emotional level. It fosters creativity, confidence, and optimism, but too much of it can also encourage anxiety and emotional fragility.
- Green: Representing the balance between the other three colors, green encourages a harmony between the physical, intellectual, and emotional. Our eyes can perceive it more easily than other colors, making it a restful choice. Green settings bring about restoration and a heightened state of psychic awareness, but risk stagnation and boredom.