The Crazy Thing that Affects Your Decision-Making
by Anna Maltby
Ever heard the adage "Everything looks different in the harsh light of day"? (Come to think of it, is that an adage? It might just be a quote from Revenge. We digress.) Turns out, that really might be true.
According to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, bright light basically intensifies everything -- so if you like something, you'll love it when the lights are bright. And if you aren't into something, you'll really hate it in harsh lighting.
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"Higher levels of brightness intensify both positive and negative affective reactions but not reactions to neutral items," study author Alison Jing Xu, assistant professor of management at University of Toronto Scarborough, told SELF.
Sounds totally random, but this is research you may actually be able to take advantage of: Is your boss kind of a hothead? See if you can dim the conference room lights in your annual review, Xu suggests. "Turning down the lights may lead to less emotional decisions and easier settlement of negotiations."
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Same goes for any potentially tense conversations with coworkers, friends or romantic partners.
On the flip side, if you run a retail store -- especially if you sell emotionally charged products like flowers or jewelry -- you might want to turn the lights up, so customers' positive emotions get even stronger.
Our take: Next time you're about to chow down on something indulgent, do it by candlelight -- you might just feel a little less intense about it and end up eating less!
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