
257 | Derek Guy on the Theory and Practice of Dressing Well
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
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The Spotlight Effect: Overestimating Others' Notice of Our Appearance
The spotlight effect refers to our tendency to believe that others notice and care about our appearance more than they actually do. It is similar to the main character effect, which makes us believe that we are the main characters in our own lives. When we feel flustered or anxious, we use these emotions as a basis to interpret how others perceive us. This often happens when we wear something new, especially if we're not used to dressing up.
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