Shopping can drain your brain power
New research shows that too many consumer choices can have deleterious effects on your health. Yep, even something as simple as trying to pick a coffee drink out at the coffee shop. In a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers did various experiments, one of which included having the participants spend the day at the mall. The more purchasing choices the participants had made during the day at the mall, the less likely the participants were able to solve simple arithmetic problems. Simple arithmetic. Even making pleasant choices, like picking out gifts for their own gift registry, drained them of brain power.
Wow. Going to the mall makes it harder to do simple arithmetic. Scary. Here are some tips on how to do the first of the 3Rs, Reduce, a little better.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-17-2008 @ 7:50AM
ryan said...
Sounds about right to me. I would be very surprised if manufacturers, advertising companies, and retail stores haven't known this exact fact for years. That is why they are able to be successful. Dumb down your target audience so that they will do whatever you say. Show a commercial on t.v., and the next time young billy or sally are at wal-mart, they just MUST have the new widget of the week! Brilliant!!!
Cut the line to your t.v., don't read crappy magazines loaded with ads, and you can drastically cut down on the zombifying that is so rampant these days.
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4-17-2008 @ 7:51AM
Jonathon Morgan said...
sounds about like my normal shopping experience.