Mental Models - Enclothed Cognition 🧑⚕️
Mental Models - Enclothed Cognition 🧑⚕️
Issue #46
If you’ve ever worked from home in your pajamas, this one is for you.
What is enclothed cognition?
Enclothed cognition is the systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer's psychological processes.
More simply, what you wear affects how you think and feel.
In one study, researchers had participants put on a lab coat, and then perform a task that required paying attention. Those who were told it was a doctor's coat performed better that those told it was a painters smock!
Many studies show that the clothes you wear can affect your mental and physical performance. Although such findings about so-called enclothed cognition are mostly from small studies in the laboratory that have not yet been replicated or investigated in the real world, a growing body of research suggests that there is something biological happening when we put on a snazzy outfit.
Why is this interesting?
Many of us are now working from home more than ever. I don't know about you, but I'll admit that my personal presentation has certainly slumped.
If what we wear really does affect our performance, it certainly brings new weight to the idea of dress for success!
Want to go deeper?
🔖 The study which coined the term enclothed cognition.
🔖 Easy reading post Dress For Success: How Clothes Influence Our Performance.
🤔 This reminds me a bit of context cues - when surroundings and your physical environment cues a specific memory. It also reminds me of priming - which is fascinating and will get it's own post.
🧠 Build your latticework! Revisit related issues:
What do you think? Are you going to dress up for Monday morning? I love hearing your reactions.