When you ask someone what their favorite color is, most of the time, they can answer immediately without a second thought. People often have a favorite color, and this preference is a result of many personal reasons. A favorite color is a mix of personal experience, cultures, feelings, and influence. When growing up, people are exposed to different colors through toys, events, clothes, emotions, and more. Overtime, these certain memories and feelings are associated with colors that represent it. For example, Caitlin Vizzone’s (10) favorite color is blue, and she mentions how she grew up “going to the beach and playing in nature.” Growing up under the ocean and sky correlates the color blue with positive memories and nostalgia. Positive emotional aspects like these can result in a stronger preference for a color throughout their life.
Color preference is based on how people associate colors with specific objects and situations that produce a positive feeling. Blue is the most universal and globally favored color due to its association with water, sky, and calmness. However, the color brown has a negative connotation and is disliked by many. Olivia Selander (10) agrees with them as she also associates “brown with feces, vomit, uncleanliness, and dullness.” Overall, a person’s experience with an object of a certain color creates a positive or negative emotion, causing a person to favor or disfavor specific colors.
Blue is a color that represents peacefulness, calmness, trust, and reliability. Due to its association with the ocean and the sky, it can evoke a sense of stability and serenity. On the contrary, blue can also symbolize sadness and depression due to the phrase “feeling blue.”
Red symbolizes passion, danger, anger, and intensity. It is an eye-catching color that draws attention and radiates power. When a person thinks of anger and aggression, red is normally what pops up due to its correlation with blood and flushing. It is also a symbol of love and joy due to its association with Valentine’s Day and Christmas.
Green is almost always associated with nature, growth, and life. It is often linked to health, renewal, and tranquility, which makes it a comforting color. It can also be associated with luck, as four-leaf clovers and leprechauns symbolize it.
Yellow conveys happiness, joy, and warmth. It is often linked to summer and the sun, creating a feeling of optimism. Yellow is a cheerful and uplifting color because it reminds people of sunshine, energy, and creativity. However, yellow can also symbolize caution or wariness, as seen in road signs.
Pink is connected to femininity, love, innocence, compassion, and gentleness. It is seen as a soft and nurturing color that represents affection and tenderness. Pink has repeatedly been associated with girls and anything feminine due to society and gender stereotypes. Similar to the color red, pink can also symbolize love and affection, but in a more compassionate and charming way.
