Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGreen in PsychologyGreen Is CalmingGreen Is HealthfulGreen Is NaturalGreen Is MotivatingGreen Is OptimisticGreen Is EnviousShades of GreenUses of GreenFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Green in Psychology
Green Is Calming
Green Is Healthful
Green Is Natural
Green Is Motivating
Green Is Optimistic
Green Is Envious
Shades of Green
Uses of Green
Frequently Asked Questions
Close
Research incolor psychologysuggests that colors evoke psychological reactions, affecting moods and emotions.Sometimes, these reactions are related to the intensity of a color. In other cases, they’re products of experience and cultural influences.
For many people, the color green means nature and brings to mind lush grass, trees, and forests. Green is often described as refreshing and tranquil. Other common associations with the color green are money, luck, health, and envy.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
Press Play to Learn More About How Colors Affect the Mind and Body
Green Color Meaning and Psychology
In color psychology, colors made up of long wavelengths are considered “arousing or warm,” whereas colors such as green that have shorter wavelengths are “relaxing or cool.“Whereas our eyes must adjust to see colors with longer wavelengths, they don’t need to adjust at all to see cool colors.
The color green can positively affect thinking, relationships, and physical health.Green is also thought to relieve stress and help heal. You’ll often find green in the decor of medical facilities.
Color Therapy Types, Techniques, and Benefits
Shades of green can help put people at ease in a new places.For this reason, designers often feature green in public spaces such as restaurants and hotels.
One study found a “green exercise effect” on participants who exercised indoors while watching a video of outdoor space with a green overlay.They experienced less mood disturbance and perceived less exertion than when they watched the same video with a red or gray overlay.
Green’s calming effects might derive from its association with nature, which people typically experience as relaxing and refreshing. Some researchers think the positive association with green is hardwired in our brains fromevolution: Early humans knew that green in nature indicated food, water, and shelter.
In ancient mythology, green commonly represented fertility. For example, ancient Iranians called the last month of winter “Esfand” because, at this time, spring and greenness return to the earth. In particular, they devoted the fifth day to the earth and women.Likewise, ancient Greeks portrayed Osiris, their god of the underworld, birth, rebirth, agriculture, and fertility, with a green face.
Spending time in natural green environments or even looking at pictures of green scenery in nature has been linked tostress relief, better impulse control, andimproved focus.
Because green has such strong ties to nature, we might be more likely to perceive something green as healthy and natural, even when it isn’t. For example, one study found that people were more likely to consider a candy bar with a green label as a healthier option than a candy bar with a red label, even when the nutrition of the two bars was identical.
The term “green” has also come to mean “ecologically beneficial”; think green initiatives, green energy, green spaces, Greenpeace, etc.
In stoplights, green indicates safety and permission to go, whereas red means “stop.” In turn, the expression “to give the green light” conveys approval.
Your reaction to the color green is highly personal. Experience, as well as personal and cultural associations, plays a role in how this color makes you feel.
In one study, a green-lit environment improved reading ability in participants, whereas a red-lit environment reduced it.
Color influences not only our emotions but also our memories. One study presented people with a list of emotionally charged words written in different colors.They were then asked to recall specific words. They were more likely to recall positive words written in green, leading researchers to theorize that green carries more positive emotional connotations. Thus, the color green might elicit anoptimism biaswhen it comes to remembering information.
Paper money is green in the United States, where the color is also associated with Irish-American culture, St. Patrick’s Day, and good luck. Interestingly, one study found green may function as a good luck charm of sorts. Participants exposed to the color green experienced increased feelings of hope and decreased fear of failure.
For as much as green is associated with positive feelings, it can also indicate jealousy. You’ve probably heard the expression “green with envy.” The origins of this phrase are unclear.
Green can also indicate physical illness, such as when someone’s complexion turns green. The link between green and illness might have created the association between green and envy—as if envy were an illness of its own.
The psychology of green is evident throughout daily life.
Manufacturers, advertisers, and others harness green’s various connotations to convey an impression. For example, the packaging of sustainably made products often features green. Likewise, it’s used in cleaning products, often along with blue, to convey freshness and purity.
Military gear, of course, is green to camouflage soldiers and equipment, and use of the color extends to apparel and other products meant to be associated with the military (e.g., fatigues, binoculars, etc.).
Concepts and practices relating to environmental concerns are frequently referred to as green (e.g., green energy, green initiative, the Green Party, Greenpeace).
Green cards, green lights, green thumb, green room—all are expressions that in one way or another draw on the various meanings of green.
The Psychology of the Color Yellow
Frequently Asked QuestionsThe Bible mentions the color green often. Typically, it symbolizes life, fertility, renewal, and resurrection. Green is a mix of yellow (which symbolizesglory and energy) and blue (whichrelates to Godand the heavens).In spiritual terms,the color greenimplies beginnings, new growth, vibrant health, and other ideas connected with life, rebirth, and renewal. If you’re noticing green in your environment or dreams, you might be discovering new aspects of yourself, beginning a new phase of life, or undergoing a renewal.If youprefer the color greenover all others, you are likely straightforward but loving. Others' opinions of you matter, as does the search for knowledge and understanding. You tend to value peace, loyalty, and logic.You might be on the verge of having new experiences, changing your circumstances, learning new skills, or discovering new abilities. In dreams, green also symbolizes wealth and fertility. Generally,dreaming about greenis regarded as a positive sign.
The Bible mentions the color green often. Typically, it symbolizes life, fertility, renewal, and resurrection. Green is a mix of yellow (which symbolizesglory and energy) and blue (whichrelates to Godand the heavens).
In spiritual terms,the color greenimplies beginnings, new growth, vibrant health, and other ideas connected with life, rebirth, and renewal. If you’re noticing green in your environment or dreams, you might be discovering new aspects of yourself, beginning a new phase of life, or undergoing a renewal.
If youprefer the color greenover all others, you are likely straightforward but loving. Others' opinions of you matter, as does the search for knowledge and understanding. You tend to value peace, loyalty, and logic.
You might be on the verge of having new experiences, changing your circumstances, learning new skills, or discovering new abilities. In dreams, green also symbolizes wealth and fertility. Generally,dreaming about greenis regarded as a positive sign.
14 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kanagaraj, Anjana P, Bavatarani S, Kumar D.A study on human behavior based color psychology using k-means clustering. In:2020 International Conference on Inventive Computation Technologies (ICICT). IEEE; 2020:608-612. doi:10.1109/ICICT48043.2020.9112442Elliot AJ.Color and psychological functioning: A review of theoretical and empirical work.Front Psychol.2015;6. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00368American Psychological Association.Green is good for you.Akers A, Barton J, Cossey R, Gainsford P, Griffin M, Micklewright D.Visual color perception in green exercise: positive effects on mood and perceived exertion.Environ Sci Technol.2012;46(16):8661-8666. doi:10.1021/es301685gIdeno, Yuki & Hayashi, Kunihiko & Abe, Yukina & Ueda, Kayo & Iso, Hiroyasu & Noda, Mitsuhiko & Lee, Jung Su & Suzuki, Shosuke. (2017). Blood pressure-lowering effect of Shinrin-yoku (Forest bathing): A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. doi:17. 409. 10.1186/s12906-017-1912-zFox J.The World According to Colour.Behjati-Ardakani Z, Akhondi MM, Mahmoodzadeh H, Hosseini SH.An evaluation of the historical importance of fertility and its reflection in ancient mythology.J Reprod Infertil. 2016;17(1):2-9.Gamble KR, Howard JH Jr, Howard DV.Not just scenery: Viewing nature pictures improves executive attention in older adults.Exp Aging Res. 2014;40(5):513-530. doi:10.1080/0361073X.2014.956618Schuldt JP.Does green mean healthy? Nutrition label color affects perceptions of healthfulness.Health Communication.2013;28(8):814-821. doi:10.1080/10410236.2012.725270Mammarella N, Di Domenico A, Palumbo R, Fairfield B.When green is positive and red is negative: Aging and the influence of color on emotional memories.Psychology and Aging.2016;31(8):914–926. doi:10.1037/pag0000122Studente S, Seppala N, Sadowska N.Facilitating creative thinking in the classroom: Investigating the effects of plants and the colour green on visual and verbal creativity.Thinking Skills and Creativity.2016;19:1-8. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2015.09.001Lichtenfeld S, Elliot AJ, Maier MA, Pekrun R.Fertile green.Pers Soc Psychol Bull.2012;38(6):784-797. doi:10.1177/0146167212436611Uccula A, Enna M, Mulatti C.Colors, colored overlays, and reading skills.Front Psychol. 2014;5. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00833Gruber N.Green for hope and red for fear? Testing the color effect on the implicit achievement motive.Romanian Journal of Applied Psychology.2018;20(1):1-6. doi:10.24913/rjap.20.1.01
14 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kanagaraj, Anjana P, Bavatarani S, Kumar D.A study on human behavior based color psychology using k-means clustering. In:2020 International Conference on Inventive Computation Technologies (ICICT). IEEE; 2020:608-612. doi:10.1109/ICICT48043.2020.9112442Elliot AJ.Color and psychological functioning: A review of theoretical and empirical work.Front Psychol.2015;6. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00368American Psychological Association.Green is good for you.Akers A, Barton J, Cossey R, Gainsford P, Griffin M, Micklewright D.Visual color perception in green exercise: positive effects on mood and perceived exertion.Environ Sci Technol.2012;46(16):8661-8666. doi:10.1021/es301685gIdeno, Yuki & Hayashi, Kunihiko & Abe, Yukina & Ueda, Kayo & Iso, Hiroyasu & Noda, Mitsuhiko & Lee, Jung Su & Suzuki, Shosuke. (2017). Blood pressure-lowering effect of Shinrin-yoku (Forest bathing): A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. doi:17. 409. 10.1186/s12906-017-1912-zFox J.The World According to Colour.Behjati-Ardakani Z, Akhondi MM, Mahmoodzadeh H, Hosseini SH.An evaluation of the historical importance of fertility and its reflection in ancient mythology.J Reprod Infertil. 2016;17(1):2-9.Gamble KR, Howard JH Jr, Howard DV.Not just scenery: Viewing nature pictures improves executive attention in older adults.Exp Aging Res. 2014;40(5):513-530. doi:10.1080/0361073X.2014.956618Schuldt JP.Does green mean healthy? Nutrition label color affects perceptions of healthfulness.Health Communication.2013;28(8):814-821. doi:10.1080/10410236.2012.725270Mammarella N, Di Domenico A, Palumbo R, Fairfield B.When green is positive and red is negative: Aging and the influence of color on emotional memories.Psychology and Aging.2016;31(8):914–926. doi:10.1037/pag0000122Studente S, Seppala N, Sadowska N.Facilitating creative thinking in the classroom: Investigating the effects of plants and the colour green on visual and verbal creativity.Thinking Skills and Creativity.2016;19:1-8. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2015.09.001Lichtenfeld S, Elliot AJ, Maier MA, Pekrun R.Fertile green.Pers Soc Psychol Bull.2012;38(6):784-797. doi:10.1177/0146167212436611Uccula A, Enna M, Mulatti C.Colors, colored overlays, and reading skills.Front Psychol. 2014;5. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00833Gruber N.Green for hope and red for fear? Testing the color effect on the implicit achievement motive.Romanian Journal of Applied Psychology.2018;20(1):1-6. doi:10.24913/rjap.20.1.01
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Kanagaraj, Anjana P, Bavatarani S, Kumar D.A study on human behavior based color psychology using k-means clustering. In:2020 International Conference on Inventive Computation Technologies (ICICT). IEEE; 2020:608-612. doi:10.1109/ICICT48043.2020.9112442Elliot AJ.Color and psychological functioning: A review of theoretical and empirical work.Front Psychol.2015;6. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00368American Psychological Association.Green is good for you.Akers A, Barton J, Cossey R, Gainsford P, Griffin M, Micklewright D.Visual color perception in green exercise: positive effects on mood and perceived exertion.Environ Sci Technol.2012;46(16):8661-8666. doi:10.1021/es301685gIdeno, Yuki & Hayashi, Kunihiko & Abe, Yukina & Ueda, Kayo & Iso, Hiroyasu & Noda, Mitsuhiko & Lee, Jung Su & Suzuki, Shosuke. (2017). Blood pressure-lowering effect of Shinrin-yoku (Forest bathing): A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. doi:17. 409. 10.1186/s12906-017-1912-zFox J.The World According to Colour.Behjati-Ardakani Z, Akhondi MM, Mahmoodzadeh H, Hosseini SH.An evaluation of the historical importance of fertility and its reflection in ancient mythology.J Reprod Infertil. 2016;17(1):2-9.Gamble KR, Howard JH Jr, Howard DV.Not just scenery: Viewing nature pictures improves executive attention in older adults.Exp Aging Res. 2014;40(5):513-530. doi:10.1080/0361073X.2014.956618Schuldt JP.Does green mean healthy? Nutrition label color affects perceptions of healthfulness.Health Communication.2013;28(8):814-821. doi:10.1080/10410236.2012.725270Mammarella N, Di Domenico A, Palumbo R, Fairfield B.When green is positive and red is negative: Aging and the influence of color on emotional memories.Psychology and Aging.2016;31(8):914–926. doi:10.1037/pag0000122Studente S, Seppala N, Sadowska N.Facilitating creative thinking in the classroom: Investigating the effects of plants and the colour green on visual and verbal creativity.Thinking Skills and Creativity.2016;19:1-8. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2015.09.001Lichtenfeld S, Elliot AJ, Maier MA, Pekrun R.Fertile green.Pers Soc Psychol Bull.2012;38(6):784-797. doi:10.1177/0146167212436611Uccula A, Enna M, Mulatti C.Colors, colored overlays, and reading skills.Front Psychol. 2014;5. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00833Gruber N.Green for hope and red for fear? Testing the color effect on the implicit achievement motive.Romanian Journal of Applied Psychology.2018;20(1):1-6. doi:10.24913/rjap.20.1.01
Kanagaraj, Anjana P, Bavatarani S, Kumar D.A study on human behavior based color psychology using k-means clustering. In:2020 International Conference on Inventive Computation Technologies (ICICT). IEEE; 2020:608-612. doi:10.1109/ICICT48043.2020.9112442
Elliot AJ.Color and psychological functioning: A review of theoretical and empirical work.Front Psychol.2015;6. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00368
American Psychological Association.Green is good for you.
Akers A, Barton J, Cossey R, Gainsford P, Griffin M, Micklewright D.Visual color perception in green exercise: positive effects on mood and perceived exertion.Environ Sci Technol.2012;46(16):8661-8666. doi:10.1021/es301685g
Ideno, Yuki & Hayashi, Kunihiko & Abe, Yukina & Ueda, Kayo & Iso, Hiroyasu & Noda, Mitsuhiko & Lee, Jung Su & Suzuki, Shosuke. (2017). Blood pressure-lowering effect of Shinrin-yoku (Forest bathing): A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. doi:17. 409. 10.1186/s12906-017-1912-z
Fox J.The World According to Colour.
Behjati-Ardakani Z, Akhondi MM, Mahmoodzadeh H, Hosseini SH.An evaluation of the historical importance of fertility and its reflection in ancient mythology.J Reprod Infertil. 2016;17(1):2-9.
Gamble KR, Howard JH Jr, Howard DV.Not just scenery: Viewing nature pictures improves executive attention in older adults.Exp Aging Res. 2014;40(5):513-530. doi:10.1080/0361073X.2014.956618
Schuldt JP.Does green mean healthy? Nutrition label color affects perceptions of healthfulness.Health Communication.2013;28(8):814-821. doi:10.1080/10410236.2012.725270
Mammarella N, Di Domenico A, Palumbo R, Fairfield B.When green is positive and red is negative: Aging and the influence of color on emotional memories.Psychology and Aging.2016;31(8):914–926. doi:10.1037/pag0000122
Studente S, Seppala N, Sadowska N.Facilitating creative thinking in the classroom: Investigating the effects of plants and the colour green on visual and verbal creativity.Thinking Skills and Creativity.2016;19:1-8. doi:10.1016/j.tsc.2015.09.001
Lichtenfeld S, Elliot AJ, Maier MA, Pekrun R.Fertile green.Pers Soc Psychol Bull.2012;38(6):784-797. doi:10.1177/0146167212436611
Uccula A, Enna M, Mulatti C.Colors, colored overlays, and reading skills.Front Psychol. 2014;5. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00833
Gruber N.Green for hope and red for fear? Testing the color effect on the implicit achievement motive.Romanian Journal of Applied Psychology.2018;20(1):1-6. doi:10.24913/rjap.20.1.01
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?
