A recent study from Columbia University (United Kingdom) has shown that it is easier to resist the prohibited if we do it together with other people in the same situation . The results also corroborate the theory that when something is forbidden to us, it captures our full attention.
The study affirms that the attraction for a forbidden object is reduced if other people in our environment cannot enjoy it either, so that it is easier for us to respect the prohibitions if we are part of a group. Research also shows that when everyday objects are forbidden, our minds pay more attention to them than usual . These objects become as valuable to our brains as our personal possessions.
The experiment consisted of the participants observing images of everyday objects and saying if they were theirs or everyone's and if they were forbidden only to them or to everyone equally. Through the analysis of brain images and memory tests, the scientists found that forbidden objects were recognized in the same way as their own objects.
This finding helps to understand the greater effectiveness of group therapies compared to individual ones and facilitates the path to abandoning bad habits such as smoking or overeating.
