Trivias About Objectics

Source: Wood, J. T. (2012). Communication in Our Lives.

Love Me, Love My Artifacts

Would you be interested in a relationship with someone who had no pets or plants in his or her home? How about somebody whose home or apartment had few accessories or knickknacks? Maybe you shouldn’t be.

You can learn a lot about people by analyzing the artifacts, colors, and arrangements in a home or apartment (Schaub, 1998)

o Someone whose space is filled with childhood pictures of herself or himself is focused on the past more than the present or future.

o Beware of someone who has no plants or pets. They probably aren’t nurturing and aren’t willing to adjust to the needs and interests of others.

o People who have a few accessories may have few interests or hobbies or maybe reluctant to let others know what interests them.

o People who have art that depicts singular figures may be unwilling to commit to others.

Does what you wear have anything to do with getting a job or promotion? According to image consultants, how you dress definitely affects both women’s and men’s success on the job (Bixler & Nix-Rice, 2005; Henderson & Henshaw, 2007).

o Darker usually are associated with higher status and greater authority, so wearing navy black or black may increase others’ perceptions of your rank. What about bolder colors, such as red or purple? A splash of color, such as bright scarf on a navy dress or a red tie with a dark suit, can indicate confidence; others may assume that you are sure enough of yourself not to stick rigidly to the “safe” colors. However, wearing a bright red dress or a purple jacket may communicate just the opposite message:

What do tattoos signal to others?o Most people probably choose to adorn themselves with tattoos and piercings

becausethey believe it adds to their overall attractiveness. A recent study, however, showedsome different findings. Men with tattoos were viewed as more dominant thannontattooed men while women with tattoos were seen as less healthy than womenwithout tattoos. These findings hold implications for a biological signaling effect oftattoos (Wohlrab, Fink, Kappeler, & Brewer, 2009). (retrieved from