# What effect do color combinations have on the brain?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-do-color-combinations-have-on-the-brain/351798>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 8, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-do-color-combinations-have-on-the-brain/351798 "2006-04-08T00:37:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nooooooooooo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@Nooooooooooo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nooooooooooo)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-do-color-combinations-have-on-the-brain/351798/1 "2006-04-08T00:37:38Z")

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I always liked orange and blue together…anyway I was wondering if any studies have been done on what effect different color combinations have on the brain…or maybe marketing studies have been done that show what color combinations people like best?

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-effect-do-color-combinations-have-on-the-brain/351798/2 "2006-04-08T06:33:05Z")

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If you look at a color wheel (like [http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/images/encyc\_colorwheel.gif](http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/images/encyc_colorwheel.gif) or [http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/images/encyc\_colorwheel.gif](http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/images/encyc_colorwheel.gif)), you will note that blue and orange are directly opposite, 180 degrees on the color wheel. They are called complementary colors. Many people find those combination attractive, just like purple & yellow, or red & green. They are often referred to as ‘striking’ combinations. Other color combinations, at differing degrees apart on the color wheel, are often considered more subtle or blending combinations.

There have been various studies of what colors or color combinations people like best. The results tend to vary quite a bit within cultures, though there are some simularities. Generally, colors toward the higher end of the spectrum (greens, blues, & purples) are consideered cooler or more soothing compared to the more exciting reds, oranges, & yellows. And a bright red (blood-red) is pretty much an alarm color in most all cultures.