Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Indicators

Indicators

Certain organic substances change color in dilute solution when the hydronium ion concentration reaches a particular value. For example, phenolphthalein is a colorless substance in any aqueous solution with a hydronium ion concentration greater than 5.0 × 10−9 M (pH < 8.3). In more basic solutions where the hydronium ion concentration is less than 5.0 × 10−9 M (pH > 8.3), it is red or pink. Substances such as phenolphthalein, which can be used to determine the pH of a solution, are called...

Color Vision

Color Vision

Color perception begins in the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Two main theories explain how colors are seen: the trichromatic theory and the opponent-process theory. The trichromatic theory, proposed by Thomas Young in 1802 and extended by Hermann von Helmholtz in 1852, suggests that color vision is based on three types of cone receptors in the retina. These cones are sensitive to different but overlapping ranges of wavelengths corresponding to red, blue, and green.

Genetic Lingo

Genetic Lingo

Colors and Magnetism

Colors and Magnetism

Color in Coordination Complexes
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.

Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives

Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives

The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
Albinism
Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

A comprehensive systematic review and content analysis of active video game intervention research.

Digital health·2026

Same author

Mismatched Expectations: The Complex Interplay Between Societal Expectations and False Individual Feedback on Physiology During Competition.

Psychophysiology·2026

Same author

Exploring self-reported health behavior change following naturalistic psychedelic use.

Journal of health psychology·2025

Same author

Correction: Exploring practitioners' perceptions of health behavior changes associated with psychedelic experiences.

Scientific reports·2025

Same author

Exploring practitioners' perceptions of health behavior changes associated with psychedelic experiences.

Scientific reports·2025

Same author

Elaborating the Role of Narrative and Self-Determination Theory in Video Game Design Research.

Interacting with computers·2025

Same journal

Interactive effects of age and mindfulness on emotion regulation flexibility: Evidence from a daily diary study.

Emotion (Washington, D.C.)·2026

Same journal

Childhood threat exposure and poor emotional awareness predict neural correlates of emotion regulation in adolescent girls.

Emotion (Washington, D.C.)·2026

Same journal

Intensity, desirability, and attainability: Predictors of effort in emotion regulation among healthy and depressed individuals.

Emotion (Washington, D.C.)·2026

Same journal

Effort shapes empathy: Distinct aftereffects of cognitive and physical exertion on pain empathy.

Emotion (Washington, D.C.)·2026

Same journal

An unequal exchange: A within-person examination of conversation role on intra- and interpersonal outcomes of co-ruminative conversations.

Emotion (Washington, D.C.)·2026

Same journal

The interdependence of emotion regulation in romantic couples: A longitudinal dyadic analysis of six strategies.

Emotion (Washington, D.C.)·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Training Synesthetic Letter-color Associations by Reading in Color

Training Synesthetic Letter-color Associations by Reading in Color

Published on: February 20, 2014

Basic hue-meaning associations.

Arlen C Moller¹, Andrew J Elliot, Markus A Maier

¹Gettysburg College, USA. a-moller@northwestern.edu

Emotion (Washington, D.C.)

|December 17, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Color psychology reveals that red is linked to failure and negative emotions, while green is associated with success. These findings demonstrate that basic hues carry psychologically relevant meanings influencing our perceptions.

More Related Videos

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Published on: April 24, 2017

EasyFiji: A Graphical Interface for User-Friendly Fluorescence Image Processing in Fiji

EasyFiji: A Graphical Interface for User-Friendly Fluorescence Image Processing in Fiji

Published on: February 20, 2026

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Training Synesthetic Letter-color Associations by Reading in Color

Training Synesthetic Letter-color Associations by Reading in Color

Published on: February 20, 2014

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Visualizing Visual Adaptation

Published on: April 24, 2017

EasyFiji: A Graphical Interface for User-Friendly Fluorescence Image Processing in Fiji

EasyFiji: A Graphical Interface for User-Friendly Fluorescence Image Processing in Fiji

Published on: February 20, 2026

Area of Science:

Psychology
Color Science
Cognitive Science

Background:

Color perception influences human psychology.
Basic hue associations are not fully understood.
Previous research has not controlled for lightness and chroma.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate basic hue-meaning associations.
To test links between red/green hues and achievement-related words (success/failure).
To examine associations with general positive and negative valence words.

Main Methods:

Two experiments were conducted.
A reaction time paradigm was employed.
Hue, lightness, and chroma were controlled.

Main Results:

Red showed positive associations with failure and negative words.
Red demonstrated negative associations with success and positive words.
Green was positively associated only with success words.

Conclusions:

Hue carries psychologically relevant meaning.
Color-meaning associations extend beyond the achievement domain.
Findings have implications for various psychological applications.