How Chewing Gum Affects Your Perception
It’s probably contrary to what you think, but I also think it depends on how you “chew it” too!
What I think we see here is that “stiff people” are perceived as cold. Movement causes us to relate more to people and it makes them more approachable.
However, I also suspect if you have a bunch of people chewing with disregard (i.e. smacking lips, making noises, opening their mouth wide), it would turn back the other direction and people would see them as unreliable and quirky and likely side with the person who is not moving.
More on chewing gum: Did you know it increases your cognitive ability and aids in concentration? And it may be better than caffeine in durations shorter than 20 minutes? Who knew?
So what is the verdict: Will you now chew gum?
It’s tempting. I haven’t chewed gum in a long while due to all of the fake sugars and/or artificial flavors. I wonder if the benefits you stated will outweigh the risk? I don’t know.
You might try xylitol gum- that’s birch sugar, has been used for gum/tooth health for many decades, is typically well tolerated by humans (not dogs/cats), and gums made with it generally use natural flavors (often essential oils). Xyla, Spry, B-Fresh are definitely good. Dr. Ellie Phillips DDS has a lot of good info about it on her archived blog. Just 6-10 grams of xylitol daily, a little after each meal, can have a remarkable effect. Starves out the microbeasties and helps bring the mouth back to neutral or alkaline. A piece of gum usually has 1 gram xylitol as the only carbohydrate. Just a few minutes chewing is enough to get the xylitol.
Thanks for sharing that. Xylitol can be deadly for dogs/cats…just sharing for others 🙂
Yes, just like chocolate- xylitol is well tolerated by humans but not by cats and dogs. Manufacturers usually put a warning on the packages. Other small animals may be sensitive. I would store it away from both pets and small children, because children are likely to see it as just candy (it tastes like cane sugar to me) and eat way too much of it especially in “mint” form (it is used to sweeten different kinds of small pieces of candy, all often called mints regardless of flavor). So just the therapeutic amount should be allowed after meals plus whatever has been used in food or drink, to avoid a binge… . The xylitol is extracted by chewing very quickly, so I wouldn’t have any special worries about the used gum (except the usual concerns).
What if people who actually have a habit of chewing gum actually embody these perceptions?
Hmm
So, … I like cinnamon and clove gum the best. After that, I think spearmint. I don’t chew it that often, though. I will accept it if offered to me almost every time. I think that snapping your gum or chewing it in places where one is expected to show respect of some sort might garner the disdain of others. I also have to wonder if there isn’t a difference in generational perception, too. When I think of those that might be disdainful of gum chewing, I think of people my parent’s age and older. You guys?
According to my husband’s doctor, chewing gum also helps in the aging process. Supposedly, chewing gum – repeatedly and vigorously – helps prevent jowls and chicken neck so my husband has been chomping on gum for the last 5 years. I don’t see any signs that it worked, but it could be due to not wearing sunscreen or drinking enough water. Growing up, I went to Catholic school where gum was forbidden and I distinctly remember how cool the rebel gum chewers looked.
BTW, I don’t chew gum because it makes me hungry.
What an interesting and fun art piece/advertisement. Compared to the stationary twin, the one chewing looks easygoing and on the verge of saying something, or they’re eating something pleasant, and their mouth resembles a smile often. However the stationary twin looks unnatural especially if they were sitting immobile in front of you, so it’s not much of a comparison really (advertisement). I’d agree that flagrant chewing would send more negative impressions. I think I’m going to do an experiment – with the closed mouth chewing.
— experiment over, it works – still roughly the same as a cup of coffee for concentration. But after that flavors gone blah…
Should I trust a promotion by the chewing gum manufacturer Beldent, claiming that chewing gum has these benefits? About as much as I trust Casey Anthony.
I often play bridge with a friend in big bridge competitions. Whenever he’s chewing gum, his cognitive ability collapses badly, At least the gum gives me the advance warning that he’s probably played the wrong card, so that I can adjust my card play decisions accordingly. When he’s not chewing gum, his thinking ability is very good. That’s my own personal experience. I don’t know why this happens, but it does. If a chewing gum manufacturer sponsored similar trials, I expect they would obtain different results from mine. In this case, I prefer to trust my own experience, not something provided by a sponsor You never know what motives sponsors have, and how manipulation may have occurred, e.g perhaps by asking the stationary person to maintain a glum look as long as possible. Am I too much of a cynic?
It seems reasonable to me what you’re saying.
A healthy cynicism (or better yet, skepticism) can be good, so long as it’s not taken too far, which happens a lot too. I only use it as a seed in order to check my own biases and preconceptions. Beyond that, it’s too easy for it to interfere of its own accord, so if I were to offer any advice to anyone, it would be to be in control of your cynicism/skepticism, or else it’ll be in control of you. It’s a delicate balance. 🙂
Edit: And, you’re not necessarily too much of a cynic. You could be, but just because you’re skeptical or cynical doesn’t necessarily mean it’s too much. If you follow the advice above, it can serve you well.
I work “overnight” shifts and I can attest, its helpful to talk to someone if the eyes get heavy when you least want them to, but chewing gum is DEFINITELY the next best thing! I’m assuming in increases circulation to the facial muscles and somehow maybe triggers alertness from there.