SSS 2011-02-15
时间：2019-01-08 作者：英语课 分类：Scientific American(二)月
This is Scientific American’s 60-Second Science. I’m Steve Mirsky. Got a minute?
Remember the Seinfeld where George buys Jon Voight’s car? Or the one where Elaine bids on JFK’s golf clubs? Why would anyone spend money, often a lot of money, on a common object just because somebody famous once owned it? A study in the Journal of Consumer Research offers some insights.
In one experiment subjects rated how much they would like to own, say, a watch. Some were told it had belonged to a nobody, others heard it was once a celebrity 1’s. Study participants rated the same objects as more desirable when they carried the alleged 2 celebrity luster 3.
Some buyers look at a celebrity’s former possession as an investment, because they know somebody else will pay even more for it eventually. But other purchasers of objects touched by a famous person are swayed by so-called contagion 4: the implicit 5 belief that the thing retains some essence or physical trace of the former owner.
In the Seinfeld episode, Elaine got JFK’s golf clubs for $20,000, twice as much as she had been given permission to bid. In an actual auction 6 in 1996 JFK’s clubs went for more than a quarter of a million, which sounds crazy until you remember that you probably got the bag, too.
Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American’s 60-Second Science, I’m Steve Mirsky.
- Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
- He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。
- It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
- alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为
- His great books have added luster to the university where he teaches.他的巨著给他任教的大学增了光。
- Mercerization enhances dyeability and luster of cotton materials.丝光处理扩大棉纤维的染色能力，增加纤维的光泽。
- A contagion of fear swept through the crowd.一种恐惧感在人群中迅速蔓延开。
- The product contagion effect has numerous implications for marketing managers and retailers.产品传染效应对市场营销管理者和零售商都有很多的启示。
- A soldier must give implicit obedience to his officers. 士兵必须绝对服从他的长官。
- Her silence gave implicit consent. 她的沉默表示默许。