Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The Sneaky Way to Coax the Truth out of Someone

The Sneaky Way to Coax the Truth out of Someone

Hit the lights: People are more likely to tell the truth and act ethically in bright spaces, finds new research from Taiwan.

When asked for a charity donation, men and women in a well-lit room chipped in twice as much as those occupying a dim space. Rates of honesty also jumped about 35 percent under bright lights, the research shows.

Your brain associates light with openness, honesty, and morality, explains study coauthor Wen-Bin Chiou, Ph.D. When the room’s bright, your brain believes your thoughts and actions are exposed, so you’re more likely to shape up, his research suggests.

While you might be able to pry straightforward answers out of your boss—or even a girlfriend or buddy—in a luminous room, being around natural light can help you reap health benefits, too. In a recent study at Northwestern University, office workers who sat close to a window slept about 46 minutes more a night, were four times as physically active, and saw a 35 percent boost in energy throughout the day compared to their light-deprived counterparts.

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