Why Do People Prefer Certain Colors | Color and Psychology

all colors in one photo

Colors have physiological and psychological effects on the human mind. Knowing the reason of why do we prefer certain colors and using it properly can affect people’s peace of mind. Knowing the tastes of different age groups of people in the field of color can be a good way to communicate with them. Especially for communicating with children. Because children often use their imaginary and visual intelligence‌.

You may be interested in knowing people’s personalities like me! So you should know by using everyone’s favorite color, we can get acquainted with their personality traits.

The importance of color preference and knowing why we prefer certain colors, becomes more clear when we pay attention to the fact that the power of colors is quite clear in all areas of our lives. From the food we eat to the clothes we wear and the car we buy. And this can have a huge impact on the jobs of anyone involved with colors; People like artists, decorators, photographers and etc. With a thorough understanding of the effects of color preference, businesses can make wise decisions about product development and marketing. 

The spiritual impact of colors

colorful dreamcatcher

The colors we choose during the day for our clothes or our environment, can be effective in receiving our spiritual impact from the environment. Colors such as white, yellow or blue allow us to receive positive energies from the environment. In contrast, colors such as black have harmful fluctuations that both affect the environment and absorb negative energies.

The processing of color preferences in the brain

rubik's cube in human hand

Studies have shown that brain receptors affect color choice in humans. We usually prefer certain colors depending on the environment in which we live, the weather, and the amount of light reflected from different objects, and sometimes we remain interested in one color for a long time or lose interest in another color. Most psychologists believe that our brain interprets colors with reason, and therefore each color affects us differently. Nurses, for example, usually wear blue because most people find blue a soothing color. Or the feeling we have acquired about red is related to danger and blood, and this causes anxiety in most people.

What your favorite color says about you

According to Incredible Art and College Match Up, which compiles data from multiple sources, your favorite color can represent the following general characteristics about you. You can learn a lot about yourself from your favorite. 

Black:

Many people associate black with darkness, but those who choose black as their favorite color are probably depressed or mourning a loss. The hue black can also represent power, elegance, and sexuality. Therefore, black is a shade often worn to suggest a mysterious, independent, or aloof nature. It may feel powerful and mysterious to you, if black is your favorite color.

White:

If white is your favorite color, you may know that it symbolizes purity, birth, and innocence. However, having a preference for white or simply liking the color white can also mean that you are independent, logical, and organized. Being bare and bright, white has a very clean feeling. If your favorite color is white, you’re probably very clean and organized.

Red:

Generally, red is a color associated with aggressiveness and desire; therefore, if you like red, you are someone who is driven, adventurous, and active. As many villains wear red and black in movies and cartoons, red can sometimes feel angry or evil to some people. Others, however, may see it as a symbolic representation of love due to the primary colors associated with Valentine’s Day. Depending on who is watching, red can mean both positive and negative things. 

Purple:

Many people love the color purple. It’s one of the top favorites among people. There is a long history associated with this hue. The color represents mystery, spirituality, as well as royalty. Only monarchs could afford purple dyes when purple dyes were rare and expensive. They require a lot of emotional security, but are helpful to others. Purple is a favorite color of several people who have pens, pencils, shirts, and other purple items. Due to purple’s deep roots in royalty, it can be used to express individuality. The person whose favorite color is purple is usually unique and wants to stand out. 

Pink:

The color pink is associated with romance. Pink is the color of those who express themselves well and demonstrate to the world that they believe in and want to be loved unconditionally or accepted by society. You’re likely to be romantic if pink is your favorite color. Many glasses are pink-tinted, which can give life a romantic spin. Pink may also mean that you are flirty and feminine, while for others, when they see the color pink, they feel euphoric. 

Orange:

If orange is your favorite color, you are a friendly person with a warm personality, as this tone represents energy, warmth, and enthusiasm. The color orange is typically associated with happiness, sunshine, and spring. As orange blends red and yellow personalities, you may have a combination of red and yellow personalities. 

Blue:

The most popular favorite color is blue, which represents peace and tranquility. This might explain why blue is used in bedrooms so commonly. If you prefer blue, you are a calm, trustworthy, loyal person who promotes harmony and safety. Blue may be your favorite color because of the peace it brings. 

Green:

Though green is more often associated with jealousy and greed, it can also mean nature, fertility, and rebirth. Overall, if you love green, you are committed to others, but may be conceited or preoccupied with self-promotion.

Yellow:

You are likely to be energetic and happy if you love yellow. This is a symbol of joy, optimism, and friendship. If you are drawn to the color yellow, this indicates that you are willing to share with others, yet to emphasize your individuality as well.

Gray:

Gray is often thought of as depressing, moody, or sad. However, this type of shade can look chic, modern, and stylish when it comes to home décor. But, if gray is your favorite color, you may be depressed sometimes or enjoy neutral tones because they don’t really draw attention to you. You may also have a hard time making a decision when your favorite color is gray. But it also means that you’re smart. Brown. Brown is a natural color that represents earthy, organic materials. Therefore, brown colors may reflect your love of nature or a simple lifestyle. You are also likely to enjoy life’s security if you have a brown preference.

Why many people love Blue

blue colored city

According to the researches, blue is the favorite color of most people in different parts of the world. The reason for this can be that this color calms the mind and relieves mental and physical fatigue and increases the feeling of security and self-confidence. Blue is considered as a cold color and can even be effective in treating high fevers. Blue activates creativity and mobility in humans, and if combined with yellow, it is a very suitable color for decorating a study or work room. Also, using dark blue is suitable for the bedroom because it causes a deep and comfortable sleep. These properties and positive effects make most human brains choose this beautiful color.

Pink for girls, blue for boys!

blue umberella and pink umbrella

Many people may wonder why blue is more masculine and pink is more feminine. A researcher from the University of Maryland says in a study that this does not reflect biological differences between the genders and it is merely a cultural issue. According to what this researcher says, this norm was not widespread until the 1980s. He believes that this unwritten law could reflect the French fashion industry. The country’s traditional culture gives pink to girls and blue to boys, and as France promoted fashion in the twentieth century, this tradition also prevailed in many cultures.

Things that affect our choice about certain colors we prefer

prefer certain colors human choosing color

Education, personality types, environment, climate, family heritage, gender, ageing… influence people’s favorite colors. Here is the explanation of the impact of some of these items:

GenderWomen generally prefer blue-based tints, whereas men tend to prefer yellow-based tints. The source of this preference is not entirely clear and it can be biological or acquired. But researchers suggest that this may be due to color blindness. Color blindness has a higher percentage in men, and they believe that because in ancient times, women were responsible for collecting fruits, they had to choose between red and green, and probably for this reason, color blindness could not enter their biological structure.
AgeingThe favorite color of most preschool children, under the age of five, is bright red. Young children between five and ten years old prefer bright yellow. As people grow, their color preferences change. Adults may have learned to associate red with negative things, such as blood and fire, and so their color preference changes from childhood to adulthood. Adults have been found cross-culturally to favor blue over other colors.
CultureCultural habits can be an effective factor in color preference. According to the choices that have existed since ancient times in each country, people choose different colors for their clothes or the theme of the ceremony for different occasions. Like choosing black for a mourning ceremony or choosing white for a wedding theme.
Personality TypesColor psychology says that the color you like, tells some of your personality traits to people. You can read this concept for more information here. You can also do a free test here to find out your personality color.
EducationsGenerally, people with high education, prefer complex colors, those mixed with shades of black. In contrast, people with less education and lower income favor simple or pure colors.
Features that impact your favorite color

Conclusion

Therefore, paying attention to color preference and the effect of colors on our emotions and choices, can affect the events and changes in our environment. This is one of those issues that we may not pay attention to and simply ignore, but its impact is undeniable and important even in our relationships with the other people, because we can know them better with finding out what color they like most. By the way, what color do YOU prefer? Why do you like this color? Comment below.

Hope you enjoy it!

Posted by
Xahra

This is Zahra. I'm in love with different languages and colors. So I decided to be the messenger of the world of colors! Here in Dopely, I write about colors and I like to take you to their world with me.

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