Counting money from time to time reconciles the imperfections of the world.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota offered the first group of volunteers to count 80 hundred-dollar bills. They offered the second group to count pieces of plain paper, as if to test their hands’ agility. After this, the volunteers were asked to play a ball game. Each of them played with three computer programs, but did not know this, and believed to be playing with real people. Scientists have set up the programs so that they “ignored” the player. In such conditions, the player began to experience psychological distress. The participants who had counted the money before the game felt less discomfort, and generally felt better than those who had counted paper.
In another experiment, participants had to dip their hands in a container of hot water, and the people who had counted banknotes held their hands in the hot water much longer than those who counted paper. According to the scientists, touching banknotes enhances self-esteem and confidence, makes the person feel less pain. By the way, previous studies had shown that money made people smarter and improved sleep.
