From LA NACION · LA NACION · · 1m 50s
Not making your bed isn't laziness, it's priorities
Psychology experts say unmade beds don't signal disorder. Research shows messy spaces can boost creativity while tidy ones encourage conventional thinking.
In brief
Psychology experts say unmade beds don't signal disorder. Research shows messy spaces can boost creativity while tidy ones encourage conventional thinking. Psychology research shows people who don't make their beds aren't disorganized; messy environments can actually foster creative thinking while organized spaces…
Making the bed isn't universal
Many people learn to make their bed as children. Some see it as starting the day with order and discipline. Others prefer leaving it unmade to focus on their activities.
Messy spaces spark creativity
Kathleen Vohs and colleagues at the University of Minnesota studied how ordered and disordered spaces change decision-making and idea development. Disorganized environments led to more creative solutions.
The ping-pong ball test
Researchers asked participants in messy and tidy rooms to imagine new uses for ping-pong balls. Those in disorganized spaces proposed ideas considered more creative than those in organized spaces.
Disorder favors the novel
In another test, participants chose between a new option and a classic one. Those in disorganized environments showed greater preference for the novel alternative, suggesting disorder encourages unconventional thinking.
Order has its own benefits
Participants in tidy rooms were more likely to donate to charities and choose an apple over chocolate. The researchers concluded that both order and disorder have distinct psychological effects.
A more nuanced view
The researchers stated that viewing order and disorder as simply good or bad is too simplistic. Disorder inspires breaking with tradition and generating new perspectives, while order links to prudence.
“It is engañoso concluir que el desorden fomenta comportamientos desenfrenados, dañinos y moralmente cuestionables, o que el orden conduce a la honestidad y la bondad.”
Unmade beds may reduce dust mites
Stephen Pretlove at the University of Kingston in England found that leaving beds unmade during the day allows sheets and mattresses to dry out, reducing humidity that dust mites need to survive.
“Dejar la cama sin hacer durante el día puede eliminar la humedad de las sábanas y el colchón.”
The bottom line
Psychology research shows people who don't make their beds aren't disorganized; messy environments can actually foster creative thinking while organized spaces encourage conventional choices.
