Two Is Stronger Than One: Shared Experiences are More Intense
image source: heartofthematteronline.comAre life’s experiences better when shared with another person? Participants at Yale University tasted chocolate in a room either (a) along with another person tasting their own chocolate, or (b) with another person who looked at a book of paintings. Participants who ate chocolate with a fellow taster thought the chocolate tasted better than those who tasted chocolate alone. To determine others’ influence on unpleasant experiences, a follow-up study used a similar procedure, but had participants taste a highly bitter chocolate. As before, having a fellow taster present intensified the experience, in this case making the chocolate taste worse.
Boothby, E. J., Clark, M. S., & Bargh, J. A. (2014). Shared experiences are amplified. Psychological Science. (Online) doi: 10.1177/0956797614551162
Dr. Gary Lewandowski | November 3, 2014 Quickies | tagged Psychological Science, Yale University, enjoyment, shared experience, taste
Reader Comments (1)
Interesting! When I was asked what I thought about being married, I said "The good is better, and the bad is worse."
Darlene Lancer, LMFT
Author of "Codependency for Dummies"
www.whatiscodependency.com