A note on adults' color-emotion associations

J Genet Psychol. 1996 Sep;157(3):275-80. doi: 10.1080/00221325.1996.9914865.

Abstract

The color-emotion associations of undergraduate students were analyzed. Twenty men and 20 women were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire in which they listed their favorite color, the major color they were wearing, their emotional responses to colors, and the reasons for their choices. Responses showed that bright colors elicited mainly positive emotional associations, and dark colors elicited mainly negative emotional associations. Women responded more positively than men to bright colors, and they also responded more negatively to dark colors. Comparisons are made between the color-emotion associations of children and those of adults. The reasons for the color-emotion associations are discussed.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Association Learning*
  • Choice Behavior
  • Color*
  • Emotions*
  • Female
  • Gender Identity
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Self Concept
  • Students / psychology