Friday, February 16, 2007

Seeing When The Time is Right

We speak about ‘striking while the iron is hot’ or knowing that the price is right. It is good to be aware of those times of special sensitivity in ourselves and in other people. Such perception is well illustrated in the following story:

“Western scientists have recently discovered that the human pupil size varies with emotion and if we are confronted with a sight that especially interests us (like a person or a shopping item), our pupil size will automatically increase. Such changes are small but they can be noticed by those who are especially observant.”

“Jade dealers in China have been aware of this for years. While presenting jewelry for the customer’s inspection, the dealer pays particularly close attention to the customer’s eyes, waiting for an increase in pupil size. When this increase is observed, the dealer knows that the customer is ‘hooked’ and they then set an appropriate price.”

Source: Tony Buzan, Make the Most of Your Mind, 76.

Image: The human eye.