Reflecting Surfaces

Humans have very special relationships with shiny, reflective surfaces.  Some scientists think that this is because our sensory systems developed to find them particularly pleasant as the surfaces of bodies of clean fresh water often mirror the skies around them and surrounding vegetation.

• All else being, the same, we prefer glossy surfaces to matte ones. Shiny floors may be perceived to be slippery by people looking at them, however, and shiny window frames and similar surfaces can generate lots of glare.
• Mirrors on walls make a space seem larger and shiny finishes on objects will seem heavier than those with a matte surface.
• Mirrors on walls can help “move” daylight through a space, increasing the size of daylit interior spaces and the available daylight’s positive effects on our mood, cognitive performance, and ability to get along with others, for example.
• If we’re looking at ourselves in a mirror and the surface behind us is more complex visually, we’ll perceive ourselves as smaller, slimmer which can be good for our self-esteem. The same goes for anything we see against a more complex background, whether that’s a sofa or a vase.
• When all else is the same, shiny options will be perceived as more feminine and matte ones as more masculine alternatives.
• We don’t think unhealthy food that we might choose to eat tastes as good when we can see ourselves in a mirror while eating and we subsequently eat less of it. Since eating has, in our history, generally been a social activity, however, when people are eating generally nutritious food, if they can see themselves in a mirror as they eat they tend to think that their food tastes better, and we eat more when something seems to taste good—which can be handy if people will be eating alone, for example, because they are confined to their homes.
• When we can see ourselves in a mirror, we’re more likely to follow the norms of our society and follow a socially acceptable course of action.If you put a mirror above your recycling container, members of your household will be more likely to use it appropriately, for example.
• If we look at ourselves as we talk, as we can often see ourselves on our computer screen during a Zoom call, the worse our mood gets over the course of that conversation. Also, when we can see a reflection of ourselves as we act, we are more self-critical.