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I understand how forced positivity might seem fake, but studies have shown that forcing a smile or forcing a group activity, can actually improve people's moods
by koheripbal 6y ago
I understand how forced positivity might seem fake, but studies have shown that forcing a smile or forcing a group activity, can actually improve people's moods (both the giver and the recipient).
It is a cultural shift though that seems alien initially, but then you really get used to it, and it really does make people feel better when they encounter it literally at every store. Positivity also disarms people and makes them more likely to purchase goods.
- jasonv 6y agoI'm from SF and spent a lot of time in Berlin. My observation was that when you go into a shop in SF, you'll get greeted to a lesser degree, but more cheerfully. In Berlin, you were greeted almost every single time, but more perfunctorily. In that regard, I preferred the Berlin approach, even though it required me to respond more often. But I could simple acknowledge the greeting and keep going. It was more intrusive, but less demanding.
- FlyingSnake 6y agoBerlin might be a wrong example for Germany, and a lot of expats complain about the cold shoulders they get in Berliner supermarkts. Berlin is famous for it's 'Berliner Schnauze' (Snout), and it has a long history of it's own that doesn't quite match rest of Germany.
- will_pseudonym 6y agoAmerican here. I can't stand that forced positivity and chanting nonsense. I can't remember the standup comedian who this came from, but they had a bit where they were pointing out that it's bad enough that they have to work these awful jobs to provide for themselves, but they're forced to pretend they're enjoying themselves to boot. I've had to put on that faked positivity in a service position where my tips absolutely depended on it, and the only way I could really stand it was basically dissociating mentally and emotionally during the shift. You're a completely different person when you're in that position.
- kentrado 6y agoIt was David Mitchell.
- will_pseudonym 6y agoThank you! I was going a bit crazy trying to remember. It was from an episode of QI. Here's the clip if anyone is interested: https://youtu.be/E9PSg0sQyfs https://youtu.be/E9PSg0sQyfs
- greyswan 6y agoI've spent a lot of time in big US cities and more rural parts of the country. I had culture shock going to stores in the rural areas, because the friendly customer service attitude appeared to be much less fake. People didn't feel as rushed. They took a little extra time to have genuine communication. It drove me crazy, because I was accustomed to the efficiency of city retail, but I've come to appreciate it.
- TheGrassyKnoll 6y agoI had occasion to work the phone at my father's small business. He had numerous customers in rural areas. I think you're right; these people like to talk. They apparently have more time and don't mind a friendly chat for extended periods.
- catalogia 6y agoI think you've buried the lead here. Walmart isn't altruistic; all they care about is increasing sales. Sincere pleasantness is nice to encounter, but such sincerity doesn't come from company policy.
- theptip 6y ago> studies have shown This (and the studies in the OP) should be taken with a grain of salt; there is a replication crisis in science, and psychology is one of the worst-affected fields. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis#In_psychology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replication_crisis#In_psycholo... In some attempts at replication less than 50% of studies were reproducible, indicating that they were either p-hacked or simply badly designed. Priming results seem to be particularly flimsy.