Doing this can DRASTICALLY affect people's behavior....

I've been reading some interesting things about how the environment people are put in can (in some cases) STRONGLY affect your behavior....

They did a psychological study on this in the 1950s. What they did was they took a number of volunteers who were the MOST mentally healthy they could find. Then, they created a simulated "jail" in the basement of the psychology department. Half the volunteers were assigned to become prison guards, and the other half were assigned to be prisoners. The prisoners were known ONLY by their number. So a prisoner would no longer be "John McKenzie" -- instead he'd now be known as "number 473."

When put in this situation, they found that the behavior of these very normal people changed dramatically. The prison guards started to become brutal almost immediately. For no other reason than spite, they would do things like make the prisoners do pushups naked in the middle of the night -- simply because they could. As for the prisoners, they felt completely dehumanized, and many felt traumatized. Originally, this experiment was intended to go on for 2 weeks, but they had to end it after only 6 days because of the traumatic effect it was having on the "prisoners."

Remember, these were perfectly ordinary people -- those who were considered the MOST psychologically HEALTHY of the volunteers they had. The main difference was the environment.

When I read this, it really struck me. I really didn't know that the environment you put people in could have such a DRASTIC effect. Of course, I'm sure it could be used for positive as well as negative effects....

One other (quick) example is that today I was talking to an acquaintance who is a medical doctor and also a research expert in complementary medicine. I only just read this example of the environment recently, so I asked him if he knew of any examples of where the environment you put patients in could have any effect on their health.

He told me about a study of where they put some patients in an inner ward with no windows, and other patients in a room with a window out overlooking a tree. They found that the patients with the window got well twice as fast. The ONLY difference in the two sets of patients was the environment -- one set had a room with a window overlooking a tree, and the other set had no windows to the outside world at all.

Do you know of any other examples like this, where the environment makes a difference? Thanks.... I find this kind of stuff fascinating. (And very powerful to know about.)

- Dien

In addition to what I said, this can also of course be used for businesses....

Supermarkets and Department Stores are big on researching exactly how the layout of the store, the music they play, etc., affects people's BUYING habits. For example, they've found that playing slow music means people buy MORE than if they play fast music....

Another interesting application of this was I read of how they brought down crime in New York City in the early- and mid- 1990s.

Apparently what they cracked down on was NOT "big" crime, but small things like vandalism, graffiti, and riding the subway without a fare. Many of these things (like graffiti, or seeing people dodge the turnstiles for the subway) are part of the "environment" and affect everyone's behavior in general....

If you put people in an environment where they constantly see the effects of crime (like graffiti), it affects their behavior and it makes people in general more likely to commit crimes (both large and small) themselves.

But -- change the environment, and you change people's behavior. And it was by cracking down on the little things which affect the general "environment" that NYC was able to dramatically reduce all crimes -- both big and small. (I have more detailed info on this if anyone's interested....)

- Dien

Hi Jeagan,

The book I've been reading about this is "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell. The whole story of the reduction of crime in NYC is in there.

The book is mainly about how small changes can have big effects.... It also gives you good ideas on how to use this.

Changing the environment is just one aspect... But the whole book is completely fascinating. :)

I'm now reading about exactly how "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" became such a bestselling phenomenon.... :)

- Dien

The ancient art of Feng Shui is based on the fact that environment does indeed affect not only the seen world but the unseen as well.

I know I have immediate mood changes from sounds alone.
The big bass vibrating from the kid's car makes me irritable and the birds outside of my window always make me happy.
The phone ringing in the afternoon makes me wonder but if it rings at midnight mad.
The church bells ringing on Sunday morning make me feel guilty for staying home and sleeping in.

Hi Matt!

> The ancient art of Feng Shui is based on the
> fact that environment does indeed affect not
> only the seen world but the unseen as well.

I believe there's a lot of wisdom there....

I DO know that I love traditional Chinese and Japanese gardens and style in general.... Walking into a traditional Chinese garden immediately gives you a feeling of peace and serenity....


(Photo from the Chinese Gardens in Sydney, Australia)

> I know I have immediate mood changes from
> sounds alone.
> The big bass vibrating from the kid's car
> makes me irritable and the birds outside of
> my window always make me happy.
> The phone ringing in the afternoon makes me
> wonder but if it rings at midnight mad.
> The church bells ringing on Sunday morning
> make me feel guilty for staying home and
> sleeping in.

Yes, I never paid too much heed to my environment, but I'm going to do so now.... It can have a big effect on your health and wellbeing and I believe also on your success....

And it's also important thinking about the environment you meet people in.... For example, if you want people to have a particular view of you, then you should try to meet them in the "right" environment for that connection to be made. It has a much bigger effect than most people realize....

- Dien

Hi Dien,

I have just read some book reviews on "the Tipping Point" in Amazon.

Actually it may constitute being a little out of focus for my study in mailorder/internet business to be interested in the book.I am a late comer in this study group and have difficulties to have full and swift understanding of what is discussed in the forum because of my language.

Anyway I like your input as you like physics.
I appreciate it very much

Jeagan Lee from Korea