In a study recently published in the journal Science, researchers from MIT found that "people's tactile sensibilities affect their social and decisions," and that "a person's exposure to objects of different weight, texture and hardness sends unconscious but powerful cues to the brain."
In one experiment, participants were given clipboards of different weight and asked to review employment resumes. People whose resume was attached to the heavier clipboards were rated better qualified than those attached to the lighter clipboards, and when asked to rate the accuracy of their judgments, those with the heavier clipboards rated themselves higher than the participants with the lighter ones.
According to the authors, "first impressions are liable to be influenced by one's tactile environment," and suggested that "manipulation of touch could come in handy for negotiators, pollsters, marketers and anyone else with a stake in interpersonal evaluation." To read more . . .
