If the world were just black & white, it’d be pretty lame. That’s why colors exist. To the human eye, there are about 7 million colors we can see, thanks to the rods and cones in our eyes. These are combinations of colors in the visible light spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. However, there are 4 primary colors in psychology -- red, blue, yellow, and green. These colors can provoke a lot of different feelings and emotions. They can even tell us a lot about ourselves.

I was lucky enough to be able to do a project on color psychology. Color psych is basically the study of how color affects mood/behavior/thought/etc. So, what does your favorite color symbolize? What does it mean about you? Keep reading to find out!

So, to start, we have black and white. Black and white actually aren’t colors. They’re pigments. White is a combination of all the colors in the visible light spectrum and, when it is broken, splits into the colors of the rainbow. Black is the complete absence of color -- it absorbs all the pigmentation and reflects none.

Alas, they both have connotations on mood and behavior. In the US, black is seen as the color of mourning. In parts of Asia, white is the color of mourning. White also symbolizes peace, purity, and cleanliness, while black symbolizes power and evil. Polar opposites.

In the visible light spectrum, the 4 main psychological colors represent the following:

Red

Red is a strong visual cue. It stimulates the senses and also grabs attention immediately, hence the use of it in many traffic safety signs and warning lights. It is a physical color. It is used to increase blood flow, and also promote appetite.

Yellow

The color yellow is the most emotional color. Yellow to most is a symbol of energy and happiness. It lifts spirits and self-esteem and is seen as a color of confidence and optimism. Too much of it, however, can give rise to fear and anxiety.

Blue

Blue is the most common “favorite” color amongst people. Blue represents communication and efficiency. It is also a color that symbolizes water and cleanliness. Blues and blue-violets are colors of royalty, as well. It relieves stress and puts people at ease. On the flip side, however, blue also can symbolize sadness.

Green

Elementally, green is the representation for earth. Green is the color of balance. It is mentally calm because it represents a biological response of reassurance on the primitive level. That means that the survival instinct in us is attracted to green because it indicates that water is present, and the presence of water means the presence of food.

Favorite colors can say a lot about you. What does yours say? Find out more on other colors here.