# Theory of Color Affecting Emotion
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General Color Associations
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Red is associated with love, passion and desire in intimate settings. Color's association with mood and emotion is a common theme in Feng shui, the Chinese art of harmonizing an environment to promote a balanced and happier lifestyle. Common color associations include: white, associated with purity; black for power and sophistication, death and mysteriousness; blue for trust, wisdom, intelligence and tranquility; green for nature, harmony and money; yellow for joy, energy, happiness and intellect; and red for energy, desire or love and war and danger, depending on the setting (a bedroom versus a business office, for example).
Feng Shui Color Associations
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In Feng shui, colors are associated with desired effects. Feng shui, originating several thousand years ago, places emphasis on color associations with a desired result or effect. There are also elemental associations combined with some color and effect associations. Red, in Feng shui, is associated with a person's reputation or fame, and has the elemental association of fire. Black is associated with life and career paths as well as with the element water. Green is associated with the family and the element wood. White is associated with children, creativity and the element metal. Yellow -- a key color in Feng shui -- is associated with health and the earth.
Other colors have associations but not with elements, such as purple with prosperity, blue with skills and wisdom, silver or gray with travel, and pink with love, marriage and relationships.
Provocative Colors
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The white coats many doctors wear symbolize the sterile environment; the soft blue scrubs may be calming. When selecting colors for an environment, clothing, make-up or gifts, research from the University of California at Berkley, published in the "Advances in Consumer Research" journal, suggests that our emotions influence colors we select. Notice how villains in movies and cartoons often wear black to symbolize they're evil, and doctors and nurses wear white as a sign of cleanliness and to symbolize the sterile, hospital environment. These are not active associations the human brain makes but emotional sensations provoking and provoked by the color selection. Red is considered an "extreme color" and is often preferred for accenting other decor, but with clothing, red can make a person stand out. Blue tends to increase productivity when used in the decor of offices and fitness centers, and can present the impression of loyalty when wearing blue clothing. Green is considered masculine and conservative, but can also be relaxing -- as seen in "green rooms" where people wait to appear on a talk show. Yellow is bright and energetic in clothing, but can be too bright and energetic to promote a relaxing atmosphere if used for room decor. Purple was once associated with royalty and is considered symbolic of wealth and luxury, but purple can appear as unnatural since it rarely appears in nature in abundance.
Color Schemes and Combinations
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When too many colors are combined, the overall feeling produced can be distracting or overwhelming. Choosing a color scheme -- emphasizing a single color possibly in several shades or a color combination -- can influence the feel of an environment, advertisement or art piece. When designing a room, having a contrasting but complementary color combined with the primary color chosen can help balance the setting, such as balancing blue or green with a soft white. In Web and graphic design, some color combinations are often suggested within design tools -- such as software or templates -- to promote complementary colors. At the same time, combining several different colors can make the environment or design seem chaotic, busy and overwhelming. Some artists use this effect to produce a busy or noisy feel from their still, painted image.
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