Mood News.(on consumer behavior and job interviews)

Byline: Lois B. Morris

Hungry Shoppers

When people's appetites are stimulated, they tend to make choices based on immediate gratification rather than long-term gain, studies at the National University of Singapore have found. Marketing researcher Xiuping Li had 36 women answer hypothetical questions, including whether or not they would buy an expensive, unnecessary item on a tight budget. Half of the subjects were exposed to the smell of cookies from a hidden scented candle--and 67 percent of them, versus 17 percent of the rest, said they would engage in extravagant spending. Similarly, people exposed to images of food were more likely than others to say they would prefer to win a smaller amount of money now rather than a lot more later. Although all this implies that it's wise to avoid shopping or making important decisions while smelling or seeing appetizing food, the effect might be lessened by consciously thinking about a long-term goal, Li speculates.

Strong First Impression

Women benefit more from delivering a powerful handshake in a job interview than men do. Management psychologists at the University of Iowa Greg L. Stewart, Susan L. Dustin, and their colleagues determined this after 98 men and women participated in hour-long mock job interviews, during which several people covertly evaluated each subject's handshake. Those with highly rated handshakes--generally featuring a strong grip and vigorous movement, along with eye contact--were seen as more sociable and desirable as potential employees, especially if they were women. Gender stereotypes may lead ...