Why Is The Green Color Soaring? This Is The Answer From The Psychological Side

JAKARTA - Color is not just a visual element. However, color can also affect emotions, moods, even mental health. One of the colors most often associated with refreshing effects is green. But, why can green make the mind feel fresher and calmer?

This is not just because green reminds us of nature, but because of the physiological and psychological influences that have been proven through various scientific studies. Here are the reasons why greenness makes the mind fresher, as reported by the Very Well Mind page.

1. Cool Colors That Are Easy To Recognize

According to Dr. Eva Heller, psychologist and author of the book "Psychologe de la couleur", the green color is in the middle of the light spectrum, between warm and cold colors.

"The human eye does not need to adjust much to see the green color, so it does not cause eye muscle tension. This is why the green color feels comfortable visually and is not tiring," said Dr. Eva.

This is supported by research in the Journal of Environmental Psychology (2011), which found that seeing a green color for only a few seconds could increase visual comfort and mental focus.

2. Reminding Nature And Giving It A Sense Of Security

According to Cherry, MS, a psychology educator and author of the book Everything Psychology Book, the human brain has an evolutionary tendency to respond positively to green because since ancient times, green has been associated with the existence of water, plants, and shelters. These are the three most important things for survival.

The study conducted by Roger Ulrich, an architectural and environmental professor from Texas A&M University, found that hospital patients who had views of green gardens from windows recovered faster and experienced less stress than patients who saw brick walls.

3. Reduce Stress and Increase Concentration

A study from the University of Essex in the UK, published in Environmental Science & Technology (Pretty et al., 2005), introduced the term green exercise effect. They found that people who exercise while looking at the green environment, even only in the form of videos.

It is believed that this can reduce stress, increase mood, and reduce mental fatigue compared to those who see a gray or red environment.

In addition, Andrea Faber Taylor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in his research showed green environmental exposure could increase the attention and cognitive function, especially in children with ADHD.

4. Stimulating Creativity and Optimism

In a study published by the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (Lichtenfeld et al., 2012), researchers found that brief exposure to green before performing creative tasks significantly increased participants' creativity. Green color provides a positive signal in the brain. This increases innovative beliefs and thoughts.

Meanwhile, another study quoted by Dr. Juliet Zhu, a psychologist from the University of British Columbia, shows that green is related to success and luck, while red is more often associated with failure or danger.

5. Lower Blood Pressure and Heart Rate

Research conducted by Qing Li, professor at Nippon Medical School, Japan, found that the practice of forest baths (shinrin-yoku), which is walking in the forest with many green elements, can significantly reduce the stress hormone (cortisol), blood pressure, and heart rate.

This shows the real effect of color and green environment on the autonomous nervous system, namely the system that regulates the body's stress response.