This science fair project's goal is to find out how various colors impact human emotions and whether particular colors are frequently linked to particular emotions.

A survey will be distributed to various age groups. After being given a variety of colors, participants will be asked to select or explain the feelings associated with each hue. To identify trends among colors, emotions, and age groups, their answers will be gathered, contrasted, and examined.

• A study of how different colors can affect human emotions, thoughts, behavior, and mood. Scientists and psychologists believe that when we see a color, our brain reacts to it based on a mix of biology, personal experience, and culture.

Color psychology is often used in:

• Marketing and advertising (logos, packaging)

• Interior design (schools, hospitals, bedrooms)

• Art and media

• Mental health spaces

Colors do not affect everyone in exactly the same way, but many people have similar emotional responses to certain colors. This is why colors are carefully chosen in places like classrooms, restaurants, and websites.   

• Colors influence moods by affecting the brain and nervous system. When light enters our eyes, it sends signals to the brain, which can trigger emotional and physical responses such as feeling calm, excited, stressed, or focused.

Red

• Emotions/Associations: Anxious, powerful, energetic, angry

• Why: Red increases heart rate and draws attention. It can signal danger, passion, and strong emotion.

Orange

• Emotions/Associations: Excited, courageous, comfortable

• Why: A blend of red (energy) and yellow (joy), orange often sparks enthusiasm and sociability.

Yellow

• Emotions/Associations: Happy, energetic, intellectual, joyful

• Why: Bright yellow stimulates mental activity and is linked to sunlight, which boosts energy and mood.

Green

• Emotions/Associations: Natural, hopeful, soothing, tender

• Why: Green represents nature, growth, and balance. It is known to reduce stress and create harmony.

Blue

• Emotions/Associations: Calm, somber, peaceful, tender

• Why: Blue is connected to the sky and water, promoting relaxation and stability. Often used in calming or professional settings.

Purple

• Emotions/Associations: Luxurious, high quality, authentic, spiritual

• Why: Historically linked to royalty and rarity (purple dyes were expensive). Also associated with creativity and introspection.

Data: Blue This graph displays the participants' emotional reactions to the color. The majority of respondents said they felt calm or relaxed, suggesting that the color had a calming impact. While fewer reported feeling nervous, confused, or feeling nothing at all, some participants also reported feeling happy. Few people experience unpleasant feelings like sadness or anger. In general, the color produced feelings of serenity and optimism.

Data: Red From what we gathered from our participants' answers, rather than their emotions being extremely weak or extremely strong, the majority of participants described their emotions as neutral, weak, or strong. This implies that the color had a mild emotional impact. The findings show that most participants were emotionally affected by the hue in a visible but mild way. Most participants felt emotions such as relaxation and calmness, while none felt any feeling of excitement nor energy. 

Data: Green People selected mainly calm, relaxed, and happy feelings, indicating that the color elicited a nice and calming emotional reaction. Few respondents indicated no strong feeling, whereas a small percentage selected emotions like confusion or anxiety. Rarely were negative feelings like sadness or anger selected. Overall, the chosen emotions demonstrate that the color primarily inspired sentiments of tranquility and positivity.

Conclusion The results of this study demonstrate that color does affect emotional reactions, although not always in the way that was initially anticipated. The idea that blue has a soothing effect is supported by the fact that those who were exposed to it most frequently reported feeling at ease and comfortable. This hypothesis is further supported by the fact that green mostly evoked feelings of calm, relaxation, and happiness, indicating that it produces feelings of harmony, comfort, and positive outlook. The idea was not entirely supported by the red results, though. The majority of individuals experienced neutral, weak, or moderate emotions, including peace or relaxation, rather than feeling attentive or motivated. Few people reported feeling more energized or excited. Overall, there was some support for the idea. As anticipated, blue and green had an emotional impact by encouraging serenity and comfort. Red, however, failed to provoke the expected enthusiastic reaction. This illustrates how color may affect feelings, yet individual responses may differ based on perception, experience, or circumstance.

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2. Elliot, A. J., & Maier, M. A. (2014). Color psychology: Effects of perceiving color on psychological functioning in humans. Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 95–120. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115035
3. Kaya, N., & Epps, H. H. (2004). Relationship between color and emotion: A study of college students. College Student Journal, 38(3), 396–405.
4. Valdez, P., & Mehrabian, A. (1994). Effects of color on emotions. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 123(4), 394–409. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.123.4.394
5. Singh, S. (2006). Impact of color on marketing. Management Decision, 44(6), 783–789. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740610673332
6. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Color psychology. https://www.apa.org
7. Institute for Color Research. (n.d.). Color and emotion. https://www.colorcom.com

Acknowledgements and References We would like to thank all students and staff members who participated in this survey and shared their emotional responses. Their cooperation made this research possible. We also acknowledge our teacher for guidance and support throughout the research process, as well as for providing feedback that helped improve the quality of this study.

For future research, a larger and more diverse group of participants could be surveyed to increase the reliability of the results. It may also be useful to control environmental factors such as lighting, screen brightness, or time spent viewing each color. Additionally, future studies could examine how colors affect emotions over longer periods of exposure or explore how cultural background, age, or personal experiences influence emotional reactions to color. Comparing emotional responses with physical reactions, such as heart rate or focus level, could also provide deeper insight into how color impacts the human mind.