Peace of Mind Organizing

The impact of touch

2 February 2009

A study from Ohio State University suggests that the longer people touch something they’re considering purchasing, the more money they’re willing to spend on it. Researchers asked study participants to hold an ordinary coffee mug for either 10 or 30 seconds. Then the participants were allowed to bid on the mug in either an open or closed auction. The folks who had held the mug for 30 seconds bid more for it. Four out of seven even bid more than the retail value (which they were aware of).

The study was published in the August 2008 issue of the journal Judgment and Decision Making. You can also read more about the results at MSNBC’s website.

I have to admit that I first heard about this study while listening to the NPR quiz show Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me, of which I’m an unabashed fan. I learn about the most interesting things there. When I heard about the study yesterday (I was listening to the podcast, so I always get their news at least a week late), I immediately thought of my chronically disorganized clients.

It is my experience (and I believe that the NSGCD has actually studied this, but I’m not positive) that if a chronically disorganized client with an unusual attachment to stuff touches an item, he or she is less likely to be willing to part with it.

That can lead to sort of an awkward scenario during a decluttering session, in which I hold something up for the client to consider, she reaches for it, and I pull back to keep it away from her. Usually I’ll explain exactly why I’m doing this.

So the study about people becoming attached to things they hold didn’t come as a surprise to me. The lesson? If you’re trying to curb your spending, put your hands in your pockets when you go shopping. If you’re trying to declutter, get someone to help you so you can do the same.

P.S. If you’re in St. Louis, it’s not too late to sign up for my free workshop, Declutter your life: How to create breathing space in your home, this Wednesday. Go to the events page of my website to learn more and register.

Tagged with: chronically disorganized, decluttering, shopping, speaking

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