Enclothed Cognition : How Clothing Shapes Our Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviour
摘要
Clothing is more than mere ornament or protection—it shapes the way humans think, feel, and behave. This chapter introduces enclothed cognition, a theoretical framework that reveals how clothing influences our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours through a twofold mechanism of its symbolic meaning and the physical experience of wearing it. Grounded in embodied cognition, the chapter synthesises cutting-edge research showing, for example, how wearing formal attire promotes abstract thinking, uniforms can amplify empathy or bias, and revealing garments may impair performance by heightening self-objectification. It spans diverse domains—from lab coats to villain costumes, Red Cross tunics to counterfeit fashion—demonstrating clothing’s far-reaching psychological effects. Beyond individual outcomes, enclothed cognition carries practical implications for healthcare, education, law enforcement, and workplace design - all of which are examined in this chapter. The chapter also engages with ongoing criticisms, replication challenges, and the evolving methodological standards that shape this emerging field. Ultimately, it repositions clothing as a potent psychological product—a second skin that sculpts how we perceive the world and our place within it.