Dear Dean Magazine: September 2023

Do Your Relationships
Need A Little Feng Shui?
by Katya Juliet Lerner
We know every relationship requires positive energy and
mutual efforts in order to stay healthy. But what if,
regardless of all your effort and energy, your relationships
at home or work were still being negatively impacted just
because your interior decorating skills? No, I’m not
suggesting you go out and completely remodel your home.
But do consider how your environment is laid out and what
affects could be at play.
Within the realm of interpersonal relationships and
communication, there is something called
Microenvironmental Features, which generally states that
the environment around you has specific subtle effects on
levels of personal attraction and the liking of others.
Everything from the color of the walls and lighting to the
materials and facing-direction of your furniture can cause
your relationship to further unite or even polarize.
Communication research within the book Close Encounters
(3rd edition, Guerrero, Anderson and Afifi) states
“Environments that encourage interaction by providing a
cozy atmosphere can promote attraction. Environments
that put people face-to-face in close proximity can also
enhance attraction. And the emotions people experience
due to the environment can also be related to attraction.”
Part of what contributes to this is something called The
Reinforcement Affect Model. This is where the environment
itself is producing the subtle positive emotions that transfer
to those interacting within that environment.
Specifically, “people unconsciously associate the
feelings they experience in a particular environment
with the individuals who are a part of that
environment.” (Close Encounters, p.71)
Consider the world of dating. If you feel extremely
uncomfortable in your environment, would you be
more or less likely to open up and share personal
information or even a first kiss? Most likely, not.
Comfort, emotions and levels of attractiveness come
hand in hand. So, if you entered an environment on a
first or second date that felt cozy, inviting and even
exciting, the likeliness of a third, fourth or fifth date just
got a lot higher.
Now consider this same concept but in your home with
your partner or even at work with your coworkers.
Both of these environments are ones in which we
become so used to, the mere routine of it all can give
the impression it is not having any effect on your life or
relationships at all. But research now indicates that all
those microenvironmental features, when done
correctly, can substantially help the feelings of
attraction and liking and therefore, contribute to a
happier and more fulfilling relationship.
So, what should you do with this information?
DEAR DEAN MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2023 | p.22