Adjust room light to win clients, love

Bright light intensifies initial emotional reaction to different kinds of stimulus including products and people.

TORONTO: Not been able to convince the client about a new product or win over your love in that romantic corner? Fine tune the room light a bit to get maximum results!

Human emotion, whether positive or negative, is felt more intensely under bright light, reveal fascinating research.

“On sunny days, people are more optimistic about the stock market, report higher well-being and are more helpful while extended exposure to dark, gloomy days can result in seasonal affective disorder,” explained Alison Jing Xu, assistant professor of management at University of Toronto Scarborough.

Xu, along with Aparna Labroo of Northwestern University, conducted a series of studies to examine the unusual paradox of lighting and human emotion.

"Contrary to these results, we found that on sunny days, depression-prone people actually become more depressed,” she claimed, pointing to peaks in suicide rates during late spring and summer when sunshine is abundant.

In the brighter room, participants wanted spicier chicken wing sauce, found the women more attractive, and felt better about positive words.

The effect bright light has on our emotional system may be the result of it being perceived as heat, and the perception of heat can trigger our emotions.

“Bright light intensifies the initial emotional reaction we have to different kinds of stimulus including products and people,” Xu added.

The majority of everyday decisions are also made under bright light.

So turning down the light may help you make more rational decisions or even settle negotiations more easily, said the research published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.

"Marketers may also adjust the lighting levels in the retail environment, according to the nature of the products on sale.

“If you are selling emotional expressive products such as flowers or engagement rings, it would make sense to make the store as bright as possible,” said Xu.