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The Color Psychology of Black

By Kendra Cherry Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW on January 27, 2020

Notice how black is used in the below image. How does it make you feel? What associations do
you have with black? While black has different symbolic meanings, individual reactions to the
color black can vary widely.

"Black is real sensation, even if it is produced by entire absence of light. The sensation of black
is distinctly different from the lack of all sensation." ~ Hermann von Helmholz, German scientist

Illustration by Cindy Chung, Verywell

The Color Psychology of Black

According to color psychology, these are the characteristics of black:

Black absorbs all light in the color spectrum.

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Black is often used as a symbol of menace or evil, but it's also popular as an indicator o
power. It's used to represent treacherous characters such as Dracula and is often
associated with witchcraft.
Black is associated with death and mourning in many cultures. It's also associated with
unhappiness, sexuality, formality, and sophistication.
In ancient Egypt, black represented life and rebirth.
Black is often used in fashion because of its slimming quality.
Consider how black is used in language: Black Death, blackout, black cat, blacklist, black
market, black tie, black belt.

Black in Feng Shui

In feng shui, a way of harmonizing your home, office, and other environments, each color
represents a feng shui element. Black is associated with the water element and envokes power,
mystery, and calm. When it's used sparingly, black has a grounding effect on your environment.

Here are a few tips for using black in feng shui:

Consider a black door for doors that face north, east, or southeast.

Choosing black for your kids' room can bring calm and creativity.
Try placing black accessories like knick-knacks, frames, or vases around your home.

Paint the floor black in a room in the north part of your space.
Try black and white in your laundry room or kitchen.

If you have a home office in the north part of your house, paint one wall black.

Black in Marketing
In marketing and branding psychology, black is associated with boldness, formality, mystery,
strength, luxuriousness, and seriousness. Famous brands that utilize black in their logos and
marketing are Blackberry, Tiffany & Co., Apple, Disney, Nike, Gillette, Adidas, Sony, Ralph
Lauren, and MTV. Besides being sleek, black is versatile and can be combined with any other
color.

A Preference for Black

People's preference for certain colors is based on a whole host of factors such as environment,
personality, experience, economic status, and upbringing. One recent study on color preference
in adults found that out of 18 total colors, including no preference, black ranked number 13 as
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adults' favorite color overall. However, when it comes to clothing, black was ranked as the
number one favorite color for both genders combined. Interestingly, black got first place because
40 percent of the females chose black as number one compared to only 16 percent of males,
who ranked it as their fourth favorite clothing color.

Article Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within
our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate,
reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Farran HK. Applying Feng Shui principles to interior design. Arch Arts Humanistic Sci Mag.
2018;12(1):27-55. doi:10.12816/0047909

2. Amsteus M, Al-Shaaban S, Wallin E, Sjoqvist S. Colors in marketing: A study of color associations and
context (in) dependence. Int J Bus Soc Sci. 2015;6(3):32-45.

3. Bakker I, van der Voordt T, Vink P, de Boon J, Bazley C. Color preferences for different topics in
connection to personal characteristics. Color Res Appl. 2015;40(1):62–71. doi:10.1002/col.21845

Additional Reading

Taylor K. What Does the Color of Your Logo Say About Your Business? Entrepreneur. Published March
21, 2014.

Tchi R. Decorate Your House With the Color Black for Good Feng Shui. The Spruce. Updated October 3,
2017.

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