UF student Isabella Llano said that as a sister of Alpha Omicron Pi (ΑΟΠ) sorority, she wears high heels — a lot.
“I feel that wearing heels makes you more confident, which might help you make smarter decisions in general,” said the 19-year-old UF international studies sophomore.
A recent study by Brigham Young University suggests that wearing high heels can help people make smarter purchases. According to the study, having a heightened sense of balance contributes to making financially sound decisions and picking mid-range items instead of higher-end items.
As part of the study, co-authors Jeff Larson and Darron Billeter, both assistant professors of marketing at BYU, conducted different experiments testing the correlation between balance and decision-making. One such experiment had consumers stand on one foot while considering a printer purchase.
Larson said he wanted to see how physical states affect decision-making.
“I chose balance because it’s the primary physical sensation. When you wear heels, you focus on being balanced physically, which forces you to choose more balanced products as well,” Larson said.
Christina Hunt, a 19-year-old UF journalism sophomore and a Phi Mu (ΦΜ) sorority sister, doesn’t agree with the study.
“Honestly, I think it sounds strange,” she said. “Perhaps, if you’re really good at walking in heels, but a lot of women have trouble walking in them and are more balanced in flats…. Maybe your feet hurt, so you’re in a rush to get home and don’t buy anything.”
A version of this story ran on page 9 on 9/3/2013 under the headline "High heel wearers have step up on shopping decisions"
