NEW HAVEN, CT — Researchers, from Yale University, published the results of a two-year-long study, yesterday, revealing that people are most relaxed and feel the safest when alone in an elevator. “Not only were subject’s breathing rates lower while riding the elevator alone, compared to riding with others — indicating an increased feelings of safeness and relief, they were also more likely to: pass gas, sing to themselves, dance, and slump down in the corner of the elevator and bawl their eyes out.” Commented Dr. Akane Higashi, who led the study.

 

Interestingly, in their press release Dr. Bryce Jansen, co-author of the paper, noted that any feelings of safety or relief developed by the subjects were fleeting in nature: “In trials where a single rider was joined by one or more additional riders, the primary rider’s affect shifted dramatically, often expressing symptoms of shame and fear. This effect was doubly worse when participants were ‘caught in the act’ so to speak.”