Color-emotion associations: Past experience and personal preference

Abstract

This study examined color-emotion associations and the reasons for emotional reactions given to colors. Ten fully saturated chromatic colors were chosen from the Munsell color system: red, yellow, green, blue, purple, yellow-red, green-yellow, blue-green, purple-blue, and red-purple. Apart from these ten hue groups, three achromatic colors (white, black and gray) were also used. The sample consisted of 98 volunteered college students at a public institution in the southeast region of the US. Results revealed that the principle hues comprised the highest number of positive emotional responses, followed by the intermediate hues and the achromatic colors. Color symbolism seems to be apparent in how individuals associate colors with things, objects or physical space. Red-purple, for instance, was associated with the color of red wine, plum, bridesmaid dress, or the color of a bedroom. Overall, a color-related emotion was highly dependent on personal preference and one’s past experience with that particular color.