A mood ring is a novelty ring which changes color in response to body temperature, using a thermochromic liquid crystal. A form of biofeedback, they supposedly indicated the temperament of the wearer, indicated by the ring's color. Mood rings were a fad whose popularity peaked in the United States in the 1970s, and they are now seen as an icon of 1970s culture.

Not everyone agrees on what the colors mean, but generally black stands for stressed or anxious and blue represents happy or relaxed. This is derived from the temperature of extremities depending on stress-related vasoconstriction. However, the temperature of the environment and individual variations will greatly skew the measurements and make the mood ring readouts rather unreliable.

There are many different types of mood ring, and it generally depends on the manufacturer what the "meanings" of the colors are, although, the most common ones are listed below. They come in necklaces, earrings, toerings, and finger rings. Generally speaking, the finger rings and the earrings are the most popular.

The Mood Ring was invented by Joshua Reynolds, who also invented the Thighmaster. Reynolds is heir to the fortune of Richard Joshua Reynolds, tobacco company founder.

In popular culture

• A mood ring plays a central part in the 1991 movie My Girl.
• "Mood Rings" is a song by Relient K released on their fourth LP "Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do" relesed on March 11th, 2003. It was written by the lead singer Matt Thiessen and it's about emotional girls and their unpredictability.

The meanings of various colors

• Black: Tense, nervous, harassed, overworked
• Gray: Anxious, nervous, strained
• Amber: Nervous, emotions mixed, unsettled, cool
• Green: Average reading. Active, not under great stress
• Blue-green: Emotionally charged, somewhat relaxed
• Blue: Relaxed, at ease, calm
• Dark blue: love , romance

External links

• Super70s.com Contains more information about the mood ring and other 1970s fads.
• How stuff works
• Happyrings.com

Rings | 1970s fads | Thermochromism