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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Touchy Feely

We touch and feel things all the time – and that has a bigger effect on us than we think...

We underestimate our sense of touch. According to a study out of Yale, It can have a really big effect on how we perceive things - and on the decisions we make. Participants were asked to do two puzzles – one had pieces that were rough to the touch – the other pieces were smooth. The rough puzzle was perceived as more difficult even though it wasn’t. And it’s not just texture – weight counts too. Judges were given resumes to look at – one on a heavy clipboard and the other on a lighter one. The resumes on the heavier clipboards were rated higher than those on the lighter ones.

The study also revealed that people sitting on a hard chair were much less flexible with negotiating than when seated on a soft chair – and that touching a soft blanket can actually make us feel warm and fuzzy towards someone.

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