What does the color red mean in psychology?

A color linked to intense sensations and very powerful symbolisms.

Red is the Blood that runs through our veins, just as orange red is the color of flames. Red is one of the most outstanding and quickly perceived colors in nature, distinguishing itself quickly and not being as frequent to observe as green or blue.

But it has always enclosed a deep symbolism, perhaps the most visceral of all the colors that exist. Beyond the symbolic, red also has a psychological meaning and can modulate our behavior. What does the color red mean according to psychology? We are going to see it throughout this article.

The color red: what is it?

Before we start talking about what the color red symbolizes and means on a psychological level, it should be mentioned that color is not something intrinsic to objects or things but is the result of the act of perceiving. That is to say, we see red things because our eye captures certain wavelengths of light through a certain type of cones of our eye that later our brain interprets as that color.

In the specific case of red the wavelengths that correspond to it are those between 654 nm and 700 nmIn fact, the consideration of red includes a large number of shades depending on the level of mixing with other colors. It is one of the three primary colors, whose meaning at a psychological level is influenced by its association with perceived stimuli of this color or some of its mixtures with other colors, especially orange.

Symbolism and meaning of the color red on a psychological level

As we said in the introduction, the color red is one of the colors that usually has the greatest symbolism at a psychological and even religious level, due to the fact that a series of specific elements are perceived with this color. Specifically, the strongest associations of the color red are with fire (although curiously the most common type of fire usually has an orange color) and with blood. By extension, it is also linked to heat, the sun, war and violence (in which blood is common).

It is a color that, as in the rest of cases, reflects both positive and negative aspects. reflects both positive and negative aspectsHowever, together with black and contrary to the rest of colors, it is usually frowned upon due to its relation with violence.

From the psychology of colors, which studies the psychic effects of color derived mainly from the social and cultural perception of these (symbolism) and its effect on the brain, we can highlight the following associations in the case of the color red.

Among the most positive ones, red is associated with warmth, passion and energy. It is also linked to affectivity, being in its positive pole also associated with love (although one of its derivatives, pink, is usually more closely linked), sensuality and sex. It has also been associated to prosperity and power, as well as to strength.as well as strength. It is also associated with vitality and dynamism, good health, happiness and even extraversion.

It is also commonly associated with spontaneity and daring. In fact, psychologically, it has been observed that this color slightly stimulates a more extraverted behavior. It has also been observed that it is an activating color for the human being and that it helps to generate movement and act to achieve one's goals. It is also related to success, independence and autonomy and even to life.

But its negative connotations, linked to blood, are probably much better known. In this sense, red has been associated throughout history with violent behavior, hatred, hatred, hatred, hatred, hatred, hatred, hatred, hatred, hatred and hatred. violent behavior, hatred, aggressiveness, lack of control, emotional lability, excess and danger.excess and danger. Also with competitiveness (although this connotation can be good or bad depending on whether or not it is taken to the extreme). Sometimes it is linked to destruction, cruelty and death. It has been observed that the color red is also linked to unreflective behavior and a tendency to ignore risk. In fact, there is an urban legend that people with a car of this color tend to have to pay more in insurance because of this association.

In short, this is one of the colors in which the bipolarity of the symbolism of colors is most clearly seen, being associated both to aspects as valued as love and to concepts considered totally contrary, such as hate in this case. It is the color of intensity and visceral, associated with a powerful and extreme emotionality and contributing in fact to generate an intense emotional response.

Use of this color in different areas

All the above aspects are not merely anecdotal or aesthetic, affecting and being taken into account in practice in very diverse areas. For example, the color red is not commonly used in health care facilities beyond its symbol, because of its association with blood and pain.. It is also usually avoided in places where silence and reflection are required, such as libraries. It is also not recommended for people who are already very excitable as they can become overexcited.

However, it is commonly used to paint houses where you want to generate dynamism and activity. In clothing it is common in order to express closeness, activity or strength, although it can also be counterproductive if we are in situations such as job interviews as it is linked to lack of control, little commitment and little capacity for reflection. It is also common in the case of women that it is used in dresses or lipsticks as an element of distinction and sensuality. as an element of distinction and sensuality.

In the marketing world, its link with power and activity usually makes several brands use it with products. It has also been seen to stimulate action, thoughtless behavior and consumerism, being used to improve the probability of purchase. It is also often used in products aimed at a young and vital public. It has also been observed that it is a color that tends to stimulate hunger and ingestion, so it is often used in food brands. Finally, it is often used to signal danger due to its high attractiveness, usually mixed with black or yellow.usually mixed with black or yellow.

And in other cultures and times?

We have seen the meaning attributed to the color red at a general level, but the truth is that in different regions of the world the symbolism of this color can vary to different extents.

For example, in China it is seen as a color of good luck and long life.It is commonly used in celebrations to attract them. In India it is also associated with marriage, fertility, purity and power. It is often used in weddings, being a color associated with the clothes of the goddess Lakshmi (goddess of good luck, beauty and wealth). In South Africa it is used as the color of mourning.

Historically in cultures and societies that have always lived in conditions of intense cold, the color red is mostly a symbol of positivity and life, due to its association with warmth. Among them we can highlight Russia.

On the other hand, in cultures where heat is a cause of suffering or even death, it can be seen as a negative symbol. Specifically, in ancient Egypt, red was considered the symbol of evil and destruction, although it could also symbolize life and regeneration.

In the Europe of the Middle Ages it had a double reading; on the one hand it was related to the red with evil and guilt (many red-haired women were accused of being witches and burned at the stake), while on the other hand the color of blood symbolized Jesus Christ and the idea of sacrifice and redemption. In fact, for this reason the Pope's robes were red and nowadays the cardinals wear red. It also came to be associated with the feminine, an association that is still valid today.