Using the options[index].text Property
<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Color Changer 1</TITLE> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"> function seeColor(form) { var newColor = (form.colorsList.options[form.colorsList.selectedIndex].text); document.bgColor = newColor; } </SCRIPT> </HEAD> <BODY> <FORM> <P>Choose a background color: <SELECT NAME="colorsList"> <OPTION SELECTED>Gray <OPTION>Lime <OPTION>Ivory <OPTION>Red </SELECT></P> <P><INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="Change It" onClick="seeColor(this.form)"></P> </FORM> </BODY> </HTML>