Color Psychology
The study of how colors influence human perception, emotion, and behavior. In design, it is the practice of choosing colors based on the response they trigger, not just how they look.
Color psychology is contextual, not universal. Red does not always mean danger. It means urgency, appetite, passion, or warning depending on where it appears and what surrounds it. The brands that use color well understand this nuance. Coca-Cola red is appetite. YouTube red is urgency. A hospital red is alarm. Same color, completely different signals based on context.
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Related Terms
Color Palette
The defined set of colors a brand uses across all materials, typically including primary, secondary, accent, and neutral colors.
Brand Palette
The defined set of primary, secondary, and accent colors that represent a brand's visual identity across all touchpoints. More structured than a generic color palette.
Color Harmony
The pleasing arrangement of colors based on their relationships on the color wheel. Complementary, analogous, triadic, and split-complementary are the most common harmony types.