University of Twente Student Theses
Warm hands warm thoughts? : Substitutability of physical warmth as a trigger for interpersonal warmth
Schäper, M.P. (2017) Warm hands warm thoughts? : Substitutability of physical warmth as a trigger for interpersonal warmth.
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Abstract: | Experiencing physical warmth in the form of holding a cup of hot coffee for a short amount of time can favorably alter one’s evaluation of others. This effect seems to be a substitution of bodily warmth, evoking positive emotions and could therefore improve personality and product evaluations. The primary objective of the study at hand is to determine the effects of visual stimuli over actual physical warmth on the evaluation of persons and products. In order to do this, the effects of physical warmth are also investigated. The study features a 2 (Temperature) x 2 (Medium) between subjects factorial design. The temperature was hot or cold, and the medium was a physical cup or the picture of a cup. After either shortly holding a cup of coffee or looking at a picture of a cup of coffee, experimental subjects filled in a product rating, then read a personality description and filled in a personality rating. A marginal effect was found that experimental subjects from hot conditions had a more positive attitude towards the product. This experiment suggests that physical warmth does not work to influence personality perception but might be able to elicit a more favorable product evaluation. |
Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
Subject: | 05 communication studies |
Programme: | Communication Studies MSc (60713) |
Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/72355 |
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