The Psychology Behind Seasonal Transitions

In an interview with the Director of Bucks County Anxiety Center, Psychologist Ronit Levy, PsyD, says that fall brings "a feeling of excitement and promise in the air.” According to her, this anticipation stems from childhood (Very Well Mind, 2023) (1).

As young kids, we associated fall with a new school year filled with new people, places, fall activities, and opportunities. "We got all of our new school supplies and were excited to dive into new activities. That association stays with us into adulthood,” Levy explains.

This aligns with research on the experience of temporal landmarks that produce a “fresh start effect.” According to a study published in 2018 in the Journal of Current Opinion in Psychology, even if time flows continuously, people often perceive, organize, and plan time in a categorical manner called temporal landmarks (2).

The changing seasons, particularly the transition to fall, inspire people to pursue new goals. There is a sense of anticipation in the air during fall, and our psychology naturally embraces the idea of fresh beginnings.

The Color Orange: How It Shapes Our Love for Fall

Have you ever rushed to whip out your phone camera to capture fall’s foliage changing colors? How we perceive the color orange influences our attraction to fall’s ambers and oranges.

According to a 2019 Journal of Experimental Psychology study, people often describe orange as bright, happy, and uplifting (3). Plus, how we see orange in the environment is associated with the experiences in conjures. For instance, if you associate the color orange with pleasant autumn evenings spent in laughter, especially with family and friends, you will likely have strong positive associations with the color as well.

For example, in the USA, the color orange is heavily linked to Halloween and Thanksgiving at home. Both often have happy memories, so seeing orange brings up those emotions and makes us giddy and excited (Very Well Mind, 2023) (4).

This aligns with coloring consumer research published in the Journal of Business and Management Research in 2012, which found another reason why fall’s oranges are attractive to us: Orange is considered a highly stimulating and friendly color that induces higher levels of happiness and arousal (5).

Seasonal Weight Gain: Understanding Why We Eat More in the Fall

Ever wonder why the pounds seem to add up when fall rolls in? Dr. Michael Greger explains that those extra pounds gained in the fall can be caused by our natural biological makeup rather than how cozy the couch can be during those cooler months (Nutrition Facts, 2024) (6).

According to Greger, a condition known as “seasonal affective disorder” is characterized by increased appetite and cravings and increased sleepiness and lethargy, which begins in autumn when light exposure dwindles.

Some animals hibernate in preparation for winter, doubling their fat stores with autumnal abundance to deal with the subsequent scarcity of winter. Humans are the same; we are genetically predisposed to such seasonal eating behaviors. The problem is that in today’s world, winter scarcity hardly comes, and we end up storing the excesses we consumed during the fall as fat. 

To combat unplanned weight gain in the fall, sleep at night to maintain a healthy circadian system. Try staying active during the day and getting sufficient sleep (seven to eight hours), avoiding nighttime eating.

References

1. Jrefrain “Why We Love Fall So Much, According to Psychology.” Avoid Mind, October 25, 2023. | https://www.verywellmind.com/the-psychological-reason-why-we-love-fall-so-much-5205863
2. Hengchen Dai and Claire Li. “How experiencing and anticipating temporal landmarks influence motivation.” Current Opinion in Psychology vol. 26:44-48, April 2019. | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X18300423?via%3Dihub
3. Tham DSY, Sowden PT, Grandison A, et al. “A systematic investigation of conceptual color associations.” Journal of Experimental Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2019. | https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037/xge0000703
4. Kendra Cherry. “Psychology of the Color Orange.” Very Well Mind, March 14, 2023. | https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-orange-2795818
5. Divata Patil. “Coloring consumer’s psychology. using different shades the role of perception of colors by consumers in the consumer decision-making process: A micro study of select departmental stores in Mumbai City, India.” Journal of Business and Management Research. 2012 | https://www.jbrmr.com/cdn/article_file/i-16_c-135.pdf
6. Michael Greger, M.D. FACLM. “Seasonal Weight Gain in the Fall.” Nutrition Facts, May 23, 2024. | https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/seasonal-weight-gain-in-the-fall/#:~:text=The+body+may+be+genetically,increased+consumption+in+the+fall.