I hadn't given much thought to it though, thinking that it was just a coincidence that I would sometimes act classier and more proper when I was dressed up in fancy clothing. However, it seems that clothing doesn't just affect how others perceive you- it has been found that clothing also affect how you act.
A study published by the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology called "Enclothed Cognition" (a spin-off to the term embodied cognition) tested the claim that clothing effects the wearer's psychological processes. Their test revolved around the, you guessed it, infamous white lab coat. The white lab coat has always represented care, diligence, and cleanliness. However, does it actually affect performance? Or is it just worn to make others believe that the individual is careful, clean, etc?
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The study concluded that, yes, wearing a white lab coat will increase your focus and attentiveness. The study first tested whether individuals were more focused when wearing a lab coat versus when they weren't, which showed that the act of physically wearing a coat altered your psychological processes. Additionally, the study tested levels of attentiveness when individuals wore a lab coat described as a doctor's coat versus when they wore a coat described as a painter's coat. This study revealed that the symbolism of the garment also mattered, as the individuals wearing the doctor's coat were more focused than those who wore the painter's coat.
I find it fascinating that wearing a certain article of clothing, feeling it on your body and placing meaning onto it, can affect the way you think and act. Having previously thought more about how appearance affects the way other individuals think of you, it is riveting to see how appearance may affect the wearer. Though I'm sure more studies must be conducted on this subject, I'm wondering what your thoughts are. Can the way you dress affect your personality? Can it make you smarter, more attentive and well-behaved?
What an intriguing topic. I actually think how clothes affect a person's behavior varies person-to-person. If for a woman, a dress symbolizes elegance and class, she might feel and act in a more dignified way when wearing the dress. If for another woman, wearing a dress symbolizes exposure and indecency, she might feel ashamed and insecure and act that way. So I think it really depends. Culture and fashion could potentially influence people, but not everyone makes the same associations with certain articles of clothing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Like the study showed, the response of the wearer depends both on the physical (wearing the actual article of clothing) as well as the symbolism (what it means). So like you said, not every article of clothing will have the same meaning for everyone. What you make of that article of clothing affects the effect very much. I think that explains "personal style"...as in, why people choose the clothes they do. I think people choose what makes them feel the "best" in their mind...and that's why everyone doesn't choose the same things...
DeleteIn addition to what both you-Nicole and Tina have said, I think that this is why people who tend to be friends may dress more similarly than those who don't. In a high school setting it is clear the different cliques and how they wear similar clothing. Clothing reflects personality, thus similar clothing means that people wearing it probably aren’t that different. I also find it awesome how you found this study since I have always felt that way myself. Before I take a test, as opposed to doing what some people do, such as wearing their pajamas, I instead dress nicer because I feel more attentive and focused.
DeleteI remember a study done where different uniformed individuals walked into a restaurant and asked people to give up their seats and sit at a nearby empty table. No matter the uniform, be it janitor or police, people said yes a strong majority of the time. But when no uniforms were worn, people said no. It's weird the unconscious connections with uniforms we make. Some postulated that the study suggested we are wired to see uniforms as authority and civil, and thus we like them better. It's strange how much clothing can influence us. I wonder if the same effect could be observed with name tags that stated jobs or something like that. I also wonder why we react this way.
ReplyDeleteFinally, this made me think of the argument some make in favor of school uniforms, since those in favor state uniforms make students more focused and better students in general. Perhaps, that is actually a pretty merited point.
Your school uniform idea is very interesting. I think that it fits the study pretty well actually. It fits the first point that when students wear it, they will generally be more focused as a whole. However, there will always be outliers, which is modeled by the second point of the study: symbolism matters. While most students would be more focused, it also depends how students treat the uniform. If they see it as a way for them to be a better, more studious person, it will work VERY well. However, there will also be people who will think of uniforms as oppressive and resent them...which will obviously, as we saw in the study, hinder them from getting the positive effect of the uniform.
DeleteI agree with Nicole- imposing uniforms on students is generally only regarded as an attempt at coercion and is rejected by the students. Furthermore, even if the uniform was accepted by students and the goals of increasing focus and work ethic were met, there may be a negative outcome for creativity and innovation. I believe uniforms embody everything that is wrong with traditional education: a focus on knowing raw facts, not the integration or interpretation of those facts.
DeleteNow that I think about it, when I put on formal clothing, I feel obligated to behave properly. If I'm wearing baggy sweat pants, then I'm probably home alone or with close friends, where I can be a bit more goofy. The style of clothing may definitely affect an individual's personality or how they act. Similarly, I think color the color someone wears plays a role in a one's personality. We often attribute color with various emotions. For example, a deep blue is often associated with sadness. Red, on the other hand, can represent anger, passion, or love. I assume that the colors people wear or are around can also influence how they act and feel at that moment as well. People will eat more in a dark room, especially if it is red. I found this one interesting site that says what each color means. For example, black often signifies authority (it also makes you look skinnier). Grey represents sophistication and old times. Red is an aggressive color and creates energy, yellow is overpowering, green i calming, and purple is luxurious. http://www.instantshift.com/2012/07/09/what-do-your-clothing-colors-say-about-you-infographic/
ReplyDeleteAustin mentioned that perhaps school uniforms are useful in that they actually make students more focused.... Well in that case, should colors be specifically chosen to enhance focus as well? What do you think about color and personality and it's effect on behavior?
I'm glad that you brought up color, Steph! I wrote a blog post about the election and explored how colors affect emotions and perceptions. Check it out if you are interested:
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I think color could definitely be utilized to enhance focus! It may not work for everyone, however studies have obviously shown (i.e. your link in this comment as well as my links in the Presidential Beauty Contest post) that it can have positive effects on some individuals! I've actually thought about that recently...for example, is that why teachers grade in red pen? Because it increases their focus and makes them more attentive to mistakes? I wonder...
You have introduced a valuable subject having to do with perception. As a semi-pro photographer I am always looking at images of people and their clothing so I can understand from other pros on how to make a statement with my photography. The dress or uniform that a model wears will change the entire context of a scene. What someone feels about the image is interactive with the person and in addition, the background. So, it’s no wonder that the viewer and the subject both change their feelings with what they are wearing. Color which was commented on as having an effect on a viewer is also perception since the brain has to determine what ‘color balance’ to apply to it, just as it is in photography. I suspect that what you think about the clothing and it’s color affects how the brain will apply this color balancing calculation to give you the final perception of what you see. This blog has opened up new interest for me in researching these subjects. Thank you Nicole and commenters
ReplyDeleteYour perspective as a photographer definitely brings in a new perspective I haven't considered! I'm slightly familiar with some of the terminologies, like color balance. I'm glad you brought up color balance, since it's proof that color matters to individuals! Some photos don't "seem right" to a certain eye, while at the same time, it does vary person-to-person. If I do a follow-up post on this subject, I will definitely focus on photography and look into those concepts more. Thanks for the input!
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