What does the color green mean in psychology?

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Green is hope, life and good luck, but also poison, lack of experience and envy. If you want to know what this color evokes in our minds, we will tell you here.

Let’s look, at least symbolically, at the leaves of the trees, the grass, and the blooming of spring to understand what the color green means in psychology. Thus, perhaps you already sense that we will talk about the tone of life and nature par excellence.

However, like all colors, the connotations of its meaning vary depending on the culture. Green is also associated with negative concepts, such as toxicity or envy.

In this article you can find everything related to this color, from its physical characteristics to its symbolism in human culture. If you are interested in the effect that the length of light waves has on the mind, read on.

Characteristics of green color

What we generally know as color is not a property of objects, but rather a psychophysical effect of the wavelength of light reflected from them that the brain interprets. That is, depending on how far a beam of light is reflected off a surface, the brain will create a specific mental representation.

When the wavelength is within the range of 496-570 nanometers, the hue perceived corresponds to the green range.. It is one of the primary colors, since we have specialized cells to perceive it -the cones-, as well as for red and blue.

When it comes to pigments, green is a secondary color obtained by mixing blue and yellow.

The most basic green is perceived at wavelengths of 500-550 nanometers. At shorter lengths a more bluish color is seen, while from 550 nanometers onwards it tends to look more yellowish.

The color green in psychology

Through individual experience and the transmission of culture, colors gain meaning and symbolism for people. Specific, Green has been mainly associated with life and fertility due to its direct relationship with the color of the vegetation..

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However, there are both positive and negative meanings for this tone. Below you have a summary of both facets.

Positive connotations of the color green

As said above, Green is the color of life force, growth and youth. It is strongly associated with spring, a season in which plants bloom, grow and many animals reproduce. It is the color par excellence to represent hope, open-mindedness and sensitivity.

It is also often associated with healing and freshness, as well as good luck and cheerfulness. In spiritual and mystical realms, green is the color of serenity, calm and emotional balance.

Negative aspects

The meaning of the color green too may be related to poisoning and toxicity of some substances, as well as radioactivity. It is a bright and powerful green, like that of some poisonous plants and animals.

In nature, bold, bright colors are indicative of danger. This is a defense method against predation called aposematism.

In the psychological field, The color green is associated with feelings such as envy and immaturity. The expressions “being very green” or “turning green with envy” are examples of this connection.

Practical uses of green

The relaxing and comforting effect of green has been used in places where emotional balance is necessary, such as places intended for meditation, hospitals and schools. However, in marketing It is used to incite action rather than relax.

The green It is the color used by most environmental protection and recycling organizations., as well as in activism and solidarity campaigns. Since we have it closely associated with what is natural and healthy, it is also common to see it in logos and packaging of food products.

The color green in different cultures

What you have read so far corresponds to the different meanings given to this color in Western culture. However, in other regions of the world, green has somewhat different meanings:

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Northern Europe: It is a color associated with Christmas and the Catholic religion. It was considered a color typical of the bourgeoisie and wealthy people, since it is a pigment that is difficult to obtain.Islamism: Green is a sacred color for Muslims. It is associated with the prophet Muhammad and is a symbol of strength.Eastern cultures: It is more related to hope, good intentions and fertility. It was common to use jade to make ornamental objects and offerings.Ancient Egypt: Green was associated with the duality of life-death, an aspect widely explored in the religion of this ancient civilization.Amazonian towns: in South American countries where the Amazon occupies a large part of the territory, green is a symbol of death due to the aposematism mentioned above.

All colors have their negative and positive aspects, and green, as you see, is no different. If you are interested in how different shades influence the mood and mind, we recommend that you continue searching for information here, as it is an exciting field.