Is Setting the Air Conditioner Temperature to Suit Women More Reasonable? 'Daily Sensory Lab'

Most analog clocks in advertisements point to 10:10. According to a survey by Amazon.com, 97 out of 100 clocks showed 10:10. Why is that? The reason is surprisingly simple: the shape resembles a smiling face. German researchers discovered through experiments that people prefer wristwatches that appear to be 'smiling,' which led to widespread use of this time setting. Customers, who cannot judge the quality of a watch at a glance, often feel favorable due to this kind of 'sense hacking.'

According to the book Everyday Sensory Laboratory, sense hacking is “the use of the power of the senses and sensory stimuli for social, cognitive, and emotional well-being.” It means understanding the unique abilities of the senses and interpreting them in predictable ways to most effectively evoke one’s own sensory experiences, which can be applied throughout daily life.

Air conditioners are one example. Did you know that preferred air conditioner temperatures differ by gender? Generally, men and women feel comfortable at different temperatures. One study found that “men feel comfortable at 22.1 degrees Celsius, while women feel comfortable at 25.2 degrees.” This is because men usually have more muscles that generate heat, resulting in a faster metabolism. However, current building guidelines are based on “the temperature most comfortable for a 40-year-old man weighing about 70 kg.”

Is there no solution? Should we compromise somewhere in the middle between women and men? The author argues that it is reasonable to set the temperature according to women based on statistics. In a study involving over 500 participants, as the ambient temperature increased within the range of 16 to 31 degrees Celsius, women’s math and verbal abilities improved, while men’s declined. However, since the degree of improvement in women’s performance was greater than the decline in men’s, the author claims that “raising the temperature would generally improve overall performance.”

Google’s provision of free meals is also a form of sense hacking. In fact, many successful tech companies in Silicon Valley, such as Google, Pixar, Apple, Yahoo, and Dropbox, offer free meals. Why? This goes beyond simple welfare; it is to “encourage people who don’t need to know each other to meet by chance at the dining table or coffee stand.” The goal is to foster innovative thinking through interaction.

Scent is another essential aspect of sense hacking. Dutch researchers reported a 15% increase in sales when artificial melon scent was diffused in supermarkets. Dunkin’ Donuts installed intelligent scent dispensers on buses traveling through the city and launched a ‘scented radio’ campaign that released coffee aroma when Dunkin’ Donuts music played on the vehicle’s radio. As a result, visits to Dunkin’ Donuts locations near bus stops increased by 16%, and coffee sales rose by 29%. The campaign won an award at the Cannes Lions Festival, the world’s top advertising awards.

Here is a daily tip related to sense hacking: “It is better to hold sports drinks in your mouth and spit them out rather than swallowing.” This is why professional soccer players regularly come to the touchline, take a sip of sports drink, and then spit it out. The author says, “It may sound strange, but it is a scientific fact.”

If you play tennis, try using shouting. According to an experiment at the University of Jena in Germany, people predict the landing point of the ball by the sound they hear. Louder sounds indicate farther distances, quieter sounds indicate closer ones. This is a strategy used by players like Maria Sharapova, the Williams sisters, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic in their shouts.