Researchers at the University of Toronto and Northwestern University recently found that bright lights intensify people’s perception of aggression.
In a series of experiments conducted by the team, it was revealed that emotional responses to stimuli are often stronger in the presence of bright lights. In fact, the stimuli need not be negative at all for an exaggerated emotional response; it is just as likely for positive stimuli to trigger an intensified reaction. The logic behind this lies in our perception of warmth. According to the study, which was published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, people in situations where the light is bright unconsciously register that impulse as heat and thus their hot emotional system is activated. When this occurs, negative and positive stimuli, such as words, are perceived as more emotionally-charged.
In the future, if you are worried about someone’s sensitivity to your words, turn the lights down! As the researchers say, “Though people see with their eyes, being in light can influence their heart.”
With files from The Daily Mail
