Interesting article I just found on National Geographic Daily news: Hand washing & Regrets

[havocmom]

Some days, the mysteries of life, irony, timing just amaze me

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/05/100506-health-brain-wash-hands-choices-decisions/

...

Aside from hygiene, the simple act of hand washing seems to "wipe away" the traces of decisions that leave a person feeling conflicted, said study co-author Spike W. S. Lee, a doctoral student in psychology at the University of Michigan.

After making hard choices, people tend to justify their decisions to make themselves feel better, Lee explained. (Related: "Brain Region for Overcoming Fear, Anxiety Found.")

"You want to feel that you made the right choice, so you justify it by thinking about the positive features" of your decision, he said. This process is called postdecisional dissonance.

But when people in the study washed their hands after making such a choice, they no longer felt a subconscious need to rationalize.

...

anybody up for sending a bouquet of calgon bouquet anywhere in particular?

Stopwatch start.... now

[Stephanie]

1. Out, out damned spot!

[havocmom]

2. Then there is the issue of death panels

One wonders if the generational war is about keeping young people from benefiting from the experience and perspective of us geezers.

[Duer 157099]

3. Hold on, I have to go wash my hands...

Hey it worked

[SharonAnn]

4. Pontius Pilate?

[havocmom]

5. Lady McBeth?

Seems history is full of illustrations. So is the news.

[Cleita]

6. And I thought all it did was wash the sticky chocolate stuff

off my hands when I indulged. You are right. I was washing away the guilt of eating all that delicious chocolate.