Dim lighting is usually associated with relaxation, and winding down after work.
But scientists now claim that by harnessing the subduing effect on emotions caused by dim lights.
Therefore, by dimming the lights, people become more rational, negotiate better and are therefore able to make better decisions.
Alison Jing Xu, assistant professor of management at University of Toronto Scarborough and Aparna Labroo of Northwestern University, made the findings by examining the link between lighting and human emotion,PsychCentral reported.
Participants in the study were asked to rate under different lighting settings subjects including the spiciness of chicken-wing sauce, how aggressive a fictional character was being, how attractive someone was and the taste of two juices.
All of their reactions were intensified in bright light, a phenomena which Professor Xu attributes to the body perceiving light as heat, which can trigger emotions.
"Bright light intensifies the initial emotional reaction we have to different kinds of stimulus including products and people," she said.
In fact, they found that bright light intensifies feelings so dramatically that people prone to depression “actually become more depressed” on sunny days, according to Professor Xu.
Professor Xu said: ‘Marketers may also adjust the lightening 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," she said.
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昏暗的灯光总是给人一种工作后尽情放松的感觉。
科学家现在认为昏暗的灯光会对人们的情绪有镇静效果。
在昏暗灯光下，人们更理智，更易于协商所以能够做出比较好的决策。
多伦多大学士嘉堡校区管理学助理教授艾莉森·徐京
在这个研究中的参与者被要求评价在不同的灯光背景下的物品，这些物品包括鸡翅酱的辛辣程度、一个虚构人物的暴力程度、某人的吸引力和两种果汁的味道。
所有参与者的情绪在明亮的灯光下都很强烈。这一现象，徐教授认为可能是身体感知光就像是热度一样，能够引起人们的情绪。
她表示：“明亮的光线加剧了我们对包括人和物在内的不同刺激的最初情感反应。”
实际上，他们发现明亮的光线可以很强烈的加剧情感反应，让有抑郁症的人变得更加抑郁特别是在晴朗的天气。徐教授这么说。
徐教授还说：“营销人员可以在真实的环境中根据产品的性质调整光线的明暗程度。”
“如果你是卖有情感表达需求的产品，比如鲜花或者订婚戒指，那么就要把房间弄得越亮越好，这样销量才会好。”徐教授这么说。