A new study reveals that shoes can be used to judge a stranger’s personality with 90% accuracy.
Researchers at the University of Kansas found that shoes can convey detailed information into a person’s personality such as gender, income, age, political affiliation, and emotional stability.
Study authors explained that shoes can provide nonverbal cues into their wearer’s personality through symbolic messages.
Student researchers judged 208 photographs of participants’ shoes based on style, cost, color, and condition.
Participants were asked to wear their most commonly worn pair and complete a personality survey.
The initial study’s findings were predictable. Results showed that people who wore more expensive shoes had a higher income. Participants who wore shoes with flashier detailing were classified as extroverts.