Have you ever noticed how your voice and mind become quieter and calmer inside a library or temple? This is not just a coincidence or about manners, but also an interesting psychological phenomenon behind it. The real reason behind this sudden change is the Cathedral Effect and Social Mirroring. Know all about these terms and how they affect us and our behaviour.

Why Do You Automatically Lower Your Voice In A Library Or Temple?

The Cathedral Effect and Social Mirroring, or Behavioural Contagion, are the major reasons behind why you automatically lower your voice while being inside a temple or a library.

What is the Cathedral effect?

Cathedral effect is an interesting phenomenon where the perceived height of a ceiling influences cognition. The name comes from the tall interiors of cathedrals, which are churches that contain 'cathedra' or the throne of a bishop.
If there are high ceilings, it promotes abstract and creative thinking, while low ceilings encourage focused, detail-oriented processing. The concept was first introduced by anthropologist Edward T. Hall, who studied how people perceive and use space in his renowned book 'The Hidden Dimension', published in 1966.
Later, this effect was mentioned in a 2007 paper by Joan Meyers-Levy and Rui Zhu in the Journal of Consumer Research.
Therefore, the temples and libraries are intentionally built high to make you see vast height. Your brain gets primed for freedom, and you automatically lower your voice and feel calm.

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What is social mirroring?

Another important reason is social mirroring, which means how we mirror others' actions automatically. For instance, when you see someone laugh or yawn, you automatically replicate the behaviour, and it produces a chain reaction.
According to Medium, it is a phenomenon where you unconsciously or consciously imitate another person’s body language, speech patterns, or emotional tone during a conversation.
Moreover, people naturally blend into their environment by copying or expressing without even realising it.

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Conclusion:

Next time you notice how your voice drops inside a temple or library, remember it is more than just good manners. It is your brain responding to the behaviour around you and the space being created that is also influencing you. 
 
(Image Credits: Magnific)
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