Why are bright colors eye-catching?

1 They give a pleasant feeling

Bright colors can give people a pleasant feeling as many of them are mood enhancers. See Why pictures are easier for the brain to process than text.

2 They remind people of pleasant things

Bright colors can have a nostalgic effect on people as they can remind them of the colorful things they had in their childhood. Candy Crush, for example, is a game that affects people's mood in a positive way by using bright colors that resemble the colors of candy (See why is Candy Crush popular).

3 Bright colors can increase the metabolic rate of a person

The right combination of bright colors can increase the metabolic rate of a person, make them more energetic and make them generally feel better about themselves.

4 Dull colors can badly impact the mood

Colors such as grey, brown, and black can have a bad effect on the mood if overused. The eyes of humans usually go to the bright colors first because those colors make them feel better.

5 They remind us of fruits

Some psychologists say that we see bright colors first because they remind us of the fruits and healthy foods we need to eat. The human mind has a special mechanism to recognize those colors because they can help the human survive.

6 They are more emotionally arousing

In another theory it's suggested that we pay attention to bright colors first because of their strong emotional effect on us.

7 To avoid poison

Evolutionary psychologists suggest that humans learned to spot bright colors because poisonous food had bright colors and so the ability to recognize bright colors fast helps humans to survive.

8 The brain notices them first

Some people suggest that bright colors get noticed first because their wavelengths get noticed by the brain more than dark colors.

9 Because of contrast

Many people suggest that bright colors catch our attention because most of the other elements in a specific setting are usually dark. Those people suggest that the colors themselves aren't catchy but it's the contrast that makes them stand out.

10 Children can see bright colors better

In their early years children are drawn to bright colors because their vision, which is not yet fully developed, allows them to see those colors easily.

11 We were conditioned to notice them

Some people suggest that we were conditioned to notice some bright colors. For example, red means danger in many cases, and as a result of the conditioning that happened, our eyes go to red and other bright colors fast to find information about our environment.