Embodied Cognition

Misconception vs. Truth

Misconception:
Your opinions of people and events are based on objective evaluation.

Truth:
You translate your physical world into words, and then believe those words.

Influence of Physical Sensations

  • Metaphorical Thinking: Words like “warm” and “cold” mean both physical sensations and emotional states.
  • Warm Environment Effect: Warm sensations lead to interpretations and behaviors described metaphorically as warm.

Key Studies

  • Coffee Temperature Study (2008): Participants holding a warm coffee rated strangers more positively than those holding iced coffee.
  • Heating Pad Study: Participants holding a heating pad were more likely to give away their participation rewards compared to those holding a cold pack.

Use of Metaphors in Perception

  • Association of Physical and Emotional Traits: People associate physical properties like brightness or hardness with corresponding emotional and behavioral traits.
  • Touch and Perception: How something feels physically can impact emotional interpretations.

Additional Research

  • Clipboard Weight Study (2010): Subjects saw résumés as more impressive when attached to heavy clipboards.
  • Chair Hardness and Negotiation: Participants sitting in hard chairs drove harder bargains than those in soft chairs.
  • Room Temperature and Video Description: Participants in a cold room described videos in empirical terms, while those in a warm room used emotional and anecdotal terms.

Practical Implications

  • Settings and Mood Priming: Environmental factors such as temperature and textures can prime you to interpret interactions and events in specific ways.
  • Neuromarketing: Advertisers might use these insights to design products and environments that evoke specific emotional responses.

Everyday Considerations

  • Medical Settings: The physical sensation of an object like a cold stethoscope might influence your perception of the person using it.
  • Social Interactions: Holding a warm beverage might positively influence your perception of the person you are conversing with.