KUALA LUMPUR: A recent study published in Biological Psychiatry suggests that wearing shapewear may decrease risk-taking behavior. Conducted with 44 volunteers, the research found that participants wearing shapewear exhibited heightened awareness of their internal body states and took fewer risks during a card game test. The study aims to explore how enhanced interoception, heightened by shapewear, may lead to more cautious behavior. The study involved participants wearing shapewear on one day and loose garments on another to test their interoception and risk-taking behavior.
Participants completed the Columbia Card Task, a risk assessment game, which indicated less risk-taking when wearing shapewear. The research highlights a potential gender difference, with the effect observed primarily in women, suggesting a unique interaction between interoception and risk-taking. "I lost my sense of smell six years ago following treatment for cancer," Jackie Jones said, adding context to the discussion on sensory experiences and their effects. Jones mentioned that onions continue to affect her eyes despite her lack of smell, illustrating individual variations in sensory responses. The implications of this study suggest that shapewear could be used as a tool to influence behavior by enhancing interoception, potentially leading to safer choices.
Further research is needed to explore this interaction and its applications in real-world settings.
Image credit: NEW SCIENTIST
