I'm also doubtful about color psychology, but color model theory (including color wheels) has some real substance. Most web sites from the late 1990s are today recognized as ugly because the color choices were awful (perhaps because they were trying to be compatible with graphics cards that only allowed 8 bits per pixel.) Web sites with colors that fit a recognized color model appeal to a lot more people.

Color model theory is similar to music theory, in the sense that both theories may just be a codification of familiar patterns. That doesn't mean they're not useful.

> Color model theory is similar to music theory, in the sense that both theories may just be a codification of familiar patterns. That doesn't mean they're not useful.

Color harmony might well be just a codification of familiar patterns. Musical harmony on the other hand is very different. While it certainly has some parts that are rooted in familiarity, especially when it comes to consonance and dissonance of certain intervalls, most of it has a strong physical and physiological basis.

Musical harmony is not purely subjective and this is well studied. Color harmony is not well studied at all and if there is and serious basis - except for historical use - has yet to be been. That’s why I don’t like the word harmony in connection with colors. It just gives the wrong impression.

They said music theory, not music harmony. Music harmony is a subset of music theory and music theory is a codification of familiar patterns. Those patterns likely formed because of their strong physical/physiological effects.

I don't know enough about the visual arts to know whether color harmony is a subset of color theory. Or if color harmony is even a thing.