To what extent are our choices as consumers influenced by perception over our own conscious choice? According to Rory Sutherland, the intangible value  of things may influence us more strongly than the tangible value. As an example, he offers research from the American Institute of Wine Economics which shows that in the general population, there is 0 correlation between quality of wine and reported enjoyment of such wine; unless you tell someone they are drinking an expensive bottle of wine, in which case, the enjoyment level increases. What initiated that shift in attitude?

Watch this video and then ask yourself if this type of thinking is harmful or helpful to the American society. Enjoy!

Jamie Anderson Developmental Psychology Course Director

Thank you to Gabriel Haze, Full Sail DAD student, for sharing this with us.