Get left on “red”
We don’t know about you, but every time we wear the color red we feel like a queen in a power suit. It just hits different… You get it, right?
But all these feelings of empowerment got us thinkin’… what’s the psychology behind this color? How does it work, and why does it make us feel like we can take over the world? So instead of sitting and wondering, we decided to look into it.
REDy for some facts?
It’s quite the interesting color. If you look at what it represents, as well as its effects, red really is fascinating. And we’re not just saying this because we’re obsessed. The internet told us so! It’s associated with things like action, energy, and passion. With a strong masculine energy surrounding it, it’s closely linked to strength and power, which promotes ambition and determination (that explains our need to power walk down the sidewalk whenever we wear red).
When studying the psychology of color, we have found that humans perceive colors differently, since each one has its own unique message. As one of the basic primary colors, red is one that immediately draws our attention… But why?
Energy and Aggression
It is the color associated with energy and aggression. Red has an effect on our physiological state, since it increases heart rate and makes us breathe faster. Because of that, it’s very noticeable, so an overuse can be irritating or provoke aggression (best to avoid that, yeah?). A red accent on a neutral background can help draw attention to a single element.
Dominance
It has been found that athletes wearing a red kit in combat sports had a bigger chance of winning than those who wore a blue kit. Red makes the person feel more aggressive and more powerful, boosting testosterone; but it also changes the perception others have.
Passion
Red is also the color linked to sexuality and desire (hubba hubba). People wearing red are consistently rated as more attractive by others. For example, waitresses in red usually get higher tips than those wearing a differently colored uniform.
Danger
Considering that it draws attention, it’s easy to see why it’s so often used in warning signs. Red has to do with the body’s fight-or-flight response, so too much red leaves the person feeling not just alert, but also stressed out.
Life and Love
Symbolically, red can be linked to life and passion, as well as to bonds of romantic and familiar love. It’s often used in romantic presents, like Valentine’s Day, and to express love, for example, by giving red roses. But again, don’t overdo it. We’re not tryna look like Carrie, after her prom freakout.
Positive and Negative Aspects of Red
In general, red has both positive and negative connotations. The positive aspects are that it represents love, activity, energy, attention and power. The negative aspects refer to aggression, dominance that instills fear, danger and stress. It’s a very basic and important color, but it’s one that needs to be used with moderation.
There are different shades of red that can all represent different feelings as well. Maroon has a darker blue tint mixed into the red and often denotes control and thoughtful action, where burgundy has a dark purple tint to the red and is known to be more sophisticated and serious; it is also the less energetic color out of all the reds. Crimson has very little blue in it and indicated determination to succeed, and it can also emit sensuality. Scarlet has orange mixed into the red and gives richness and brightness. The color can promote enthusiasm and love of life. It is a fun-loving color and a little less intense then a true red.
So there ya have it. This explains why red makes us feel some type of way. We’d love to know what your favorite color is, and why! So comment below, we can’t wait to hear from you.
XOXO,
PIAM.
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