The influence of the irrelevant: Researchers show stimuli unrelated to a decision can still influence the choice we make

Attractive women plus cool cars equal brisk sales for auto dealers as men snap up those cars, prompted - or so advertising theory goes - by the association. But is the human male really so easily swayed? Can the irrelevant image of an alluring female posing by the merchandise actually encourage a heterosexual man to purchase it? Possibly, according to a new study by Stanford researchers.