Red color in psychology

Symbolism of red

The symbolism of colors developed among peoples in ancient times and has survived to this day. The color red has received increased attention in all corners of the world, and many similarities can be found in the interpretations.

First of all, red color means the color of blood, life, flame. Moreover, in many languages, including Old Russian, “red” means “beautiful” - this is the meaning inherent in the phrases “red maiden”, “red sun” and in the name of the main square of the Russian capital. In Polynesian tribes, the words "red" and "beloved" are synonymous. The Chinese call sincere, open-hearted people “red heart”, as opposed to an insidious, dishonest person whose heart is black.

Red clothes

Bright, catchy, red clothes are always a bold decision. It is necessary to use this color if you want to attract attention to yourself. The red color of your clothes will demonstrate your desire for leadership, your readiness to compete, you must be prepared for the fact that others will perceive your appearance as a challenge to competition. A woman dressed in red, first of all, demonstrates her sexuality and excitability, and also provokes rivalry and competition from other women. Most often, as in the interior, in everyday life it is not a solid red color that is used, but individual elements of a suit, details, decorations in red, which can advantageously emphasize your appearance, “place accents” (a man’s tie, handbags, shoes etc).

Red color and its shades

The color red has many shades, and each of them has its own personality. The skillful use of shades of red in clothing and everyday life helps to adjust the overall mood and well-being. It is important to know what properties these colors have in order to avoid negative influences and use positive qualities to your advantage.

Scarlet

A bright, pure shade of red is a symbol of life and warmth. Scarlet color is concentrated energy, activity, sensuality, emotionality. In folklore and literature, it is associated with the color of lips, flame, and blood. This color cannot go unnoticed, which is why it was chosen for both the outlandish overseas flower from a fairy tale and the sails of a dream come true.

Red lovers

A favorite color can tell a lot about character traits when drawing up a psychological portrait of a person. It is important to pay attention to the shades that a person prefers. The color red can express a wide range of feelings. Warm tones are romantic, passion and rebellion, cold and dark shades are maturity, authority, power.

Positive traits:

Willpower and self-confidence. Such people know how to overcome life's difficulties without losing their presence of mind. They are much better at this than others. Purposefulness, leadership. Fans of red color know how to achieve their goals and lead others. Energy, endurance. Bright shades of red are preferred by people full of vitality. They generously share their energy with others, charging them with vigor. Sexual activity. Lovers of red tend to desire an active and varied sex life. In extreme manifestations, this turns into promiscuity and promiscuity.

Reverse side of the coin:

Stubbornness.
The desire to achieve a goal often develops into a desire to insist on one’s own in any way. Intolerance to other people's points of view, unwillingness to compromise. Fans of red tend to defend their opinion even to the detriment of the result. Aggressiveness. The desire to insist on one’s own, regardless of means, leads to verbal, psychological, and physical violence. Cruelty. Red color is a symbol of authoritarianism and strength. People of a certain type realize their inclinations through cruel treatment of the weaker and dependent. Fans of red are avid debaters, and their confidence can easily develop into overconfidence. At the same time, these are charismatic leaders capable of implementing large-scale projects. Both men and women of this type are attractive to the opposite sex. Red color is chosen by sensual people.

What does the color red in clothes mean?

Many people love red things and regularly enrich their wardrobe with them. This testifies not so much to a person’s taste characteristics, but to his character and mood, as well as what he is striving for at the moment and what he lacks. While exploring the meaning of red items in a wardrobe, psychologists identified several key aspects:

Red color in clothing is preferred by energetic people who lead an active lifestyle and demonstrate strong leadership qualities.
This color indicates determination and readiness to overcome obstacles. By putting on a red thing, a person demonstrates his intention to do something grandiose on this day.
People who have a lot of red items in their wardrobe are characterized by such qualities as self-confidence, high self-esteem, selfishness and even cruelty.
In a man's wardrobe, the color red often indicates that he is in search of a sexual partner. Here it plays a dual role: it attracts attention, and also demonstrates masculinity and sexuality.
Women also often wear red to show that they are open to new relationships. In addition, the abundance of red in a woman’s wardrobe indicates a tendency to dominate. In other words, the woman in red is not just looking for a man - she is on the hunt.
Women who prefer red things are usually more freedom-loving, liberated and love bold experiments in bed.
Regardless of gender, the man in red definitely loves to be the center of attention. However, this is often a temporary or seasonal desire (it is quite common for men and women to wear red in the spring and then switch to more neutral tones in the summer).
Red color in clothes speaks of optimism. It is rare to see this color in the clothes of a pessimist. Usually people dressed in red are confident in themselves and their future, they behave actively and quite emotionally.
Red clothes are worn by brave and determined people with high self-esteem. This feature of the wardrobe indicates that a person is not afraid of getting into an awkward situation. He deliberately dresses to attract attention, and he is always prepared for any event.

It is strictly not recommended to wear red clothes to important negotiations. Firstly, you don’t need to demonstrate your courage or femininity to your partners, since business qualities are more important to them. Secondly, the man in red in such an environment looks frivolous - always remember this.

It is worth noting that the perception of the color red by women and men is indeed quite different. By dressing in red, they demonstrate different character traits, desires and moods. And they also react differently to this color. Let's consider this point in more detail.

Use in clothing

Red clothing is chosen by people who want to attract attention and who are not afraid of criticism and judgmental looks. In turn, red color adds self-confidence. This can be used in preparation for a crucial moment, if there is a need to overcome anxiety.

The color red in business clothing is used sparingly; we are mainly talking about accessories and discreet shades. Various tones of red are appropriate in outfits for informal settings, friendly parties, going to a restaurant or theater. Such clothing emphasizes sexuality, and we are talking about both women and men. A bright outfit is directly related to liberation, so when choosing clothes for a first date or an important event, you need to think about how appropriate such an image will be and which shade to choose.

Please note: an excess of red in the image can result in fatigue, irritability or aggression

Red clothing is a great choice for sports. It will add energy, determination, and desire to achieve results. The attention of others in the gym or while jogging on the street encourages you to give your best.

You should not use red-colored wardrobe items if you experience a loss of strength, depression, or high blood pressure. The color red can aggravate stress and prevents you from developing a trusting attitude when communicating with others. The exception is delicate shades of pink, which improve mood and give optimism.

Use in interior and clothing

Green color in psychology - what it means in life, who likes it

The use of red in clothing can tell about a person some details of his character, desires and habits:

When things of this color are often found in a person’s wardrobe, this may mean that he likes to attract the attention of people around him, he likes to be in the crowd so that people talk about him.
Things or accessories speak of the courage of their owner, his determination and confidence.
In scarlet, strong personalities often appear who intend to break through and achieve new heights. Sometimes people specifically buy clothes of this catchy color to give themselves confidence and look strong in the eyes of others.
People wearing red clothes have an optimistic outlook on life and are emotional and passionate people.
However, psychologists do not recommend choosing this spectrum for your wardrobe on the days of negotiations or applying for a job. In a formal setting, this color can play a cruel joke and show a person as frivolous.

Using red in your wardrobe

The use of one or another shade in the interior may also indicate some characteristics of the owner of the apartment. What is the significance of red in psychology if you add this color to the interior decoration of premises? It is known that warm shades in the interior create a feeling of comfort, scarlet is one of them.

Important! This color in large quantities and saturation can enhance some emotions, so do not be too zealous with its use.

Features of application in the interior:

When choosing curtains or wall paint, it is important to remember that these interior pieces will take up significant space. Therefore, psychologists advise abandoning bright colors or making them muted. A large amount of red in a room can cause attacks of aggression. However, small elements, on the contrary, will create a cozy effect.
It is not recommended to use scarlet if a person suffers from hypertension or has problems with blood pressure.
If you correctly combine and maintain the number of bright elements in the decor of the room, the effect will be positive - the room will become a place where people accumulate strength and are filled with energy.
When decorating a festive area, be sure to use elements of red, since many people associate this color with solemnity.
This range of colors is often used in the design of kitchens or restaurants, since the color is responsible for increasing appetite.
Scarlet is also well suited for the hallway or gym - places where people stay for a short time. Here a person can recharge with energy and move on.
It is better to avoid red when decorating the interior of the bedroom, bathroom and especially the nursery. These are places where the psyche should be calm.

When decorating the interior, it is important not to overdo it with red.

Red is considered the most recognizable color of the entire spectrum. It has the strongest impact on the psyche. Depending on the amount and intensity, it can either give a short-term burst of energy or awaken aggressive emotions. Among those who prefer shades of scarlet, there are both men and women, all of them are freedom lovers, somewhat selfish, and at the same time cheerful and energetic people.

Psychologists use all shades of red in color therapy to give people confidence, strength and sensuality. You can do this yourself, surrounding yourself with elements of this color; it is important to remember that you should add it to your surroundings little by little. In large quantities, color can awaken an aggressive mood.

Red color in the interior

Red is a warm color with powerful energy. It is used quite limitedly in the interior, as it has an exciting effect on the psyche. In addition, dark and bright colors visually make the room smaller. The wrong choice of shade can make the interior difficult to perceive and oppressive.

In interior design, each shade of red has a specific area of application:

Rich red Suitable for creating accents in interiors in loft, hi-tech, and minimalist styles. You can paint part of the wall or shelving in this color, use textiles and decorative elements.

Burgundy can become one of the main interior colors in combination with neutral colors - gray, white, beige. Suitable for decorating a living room or kitchen. Can be used in Baroque style, in interpretations of historical interiors.

Crimson Suitable for interiors in a classical or historical style, baroque. Combines with gilding, golden fringe and ornaments.

Red color attracts attention and therefore requires a neutral environment. When creating an interior using red, it is important to maintain color balance

Pink This is the color for decorating a nursery, can be used in the kitchen or bedroom in country or Provence style in combination with white, gray, light wood.

Scarlet, fiery red Bright colors are used to create color accents when creating interiors in a modern style. You can paint the inside of the shelves, use textile elements, lamps and other interior items in the bedroom or living room.

Red-brown, terracotta Ideal for loft style. This color can become the main color in the interior of a bedroom or living room.

Christianity[edit]

In traditional Christian art, red is the color of the sacrificial blood of Christ and the martyrs, zealous or victorious love (for example, in the robe of John, Jesus' beloved disciple), and the fiery tongues of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

"Cardinal red" probably meant that its wearers were prepared to die sacrificially in the name of the church. Used in church vestments worn on the days of remembrance of martyrs, on the Feast of the Holy Spirit and during Holy Week.

In the Revelation of John the Theologian, the “great harlot” Babylon, “the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth,” “was clothed in purple and scarlet.” She sits on a seven-headed monster, “a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names.” Red is also the color of hell, the devil, and related animals such as the fox and squirrel.

Idols among pagan peoples were often painted or tinted red.

The traditional color of clothing for vicious women.

Combination with other colors

When thinking through the design of a room or combining wardrobe items, it is necessary to take into account the compatibility of red with other colors - achromatic (neutral) and chromatic.

Achromatic colors include white and black. Scarlet with pure white is a bright and harmonious pair that can be used both in clothing and in the interior.

Red and black are the quintessence of luxury and sexuality. An excellent option for a stylish evening outfit, but for decorating a room it is too radical an option - it is better to replace black with gray in various shades. In clothing, gray also successfully balances the aggression of red.

The list of chromatic colors that red goes well with includes sand color and shades close to it. Some tones of red can be successfully combined with shades of green, blue, and pink that are suitable in temperature and saturation.

Health effects

Red color appeals to extroverts and depresses introverts. It is considered a source of vitality. It adds energy to healthy and active people, can ignite passion, and give joyful emotions. For people who are tired or in a depressed mood, the color red is annoying and can cause aggression.

Red color therapy is used to treat depressed mental states. It also helps increase brain activity. Oversaturation with red color has a negative effect on the psyche - a person becomes overexcited, mental disorders, if any, worsen.

Color therapy for the treatment of physiological ailments began to be used several centuries ago. Today, exposure to red color is used as part of an integrated approach to the treatment of certain types of inflammation, skin diseases, measles, chicken pox, and scarlet fever.