The scientists took two groups of children and told the parents that the children would go to a party. At the party the children would eat candy and cake. This was not true.
One group of children did go to a party with cake and cake. The other group of children, however, ate vegetables, crackers, and cheese.
All the parents believed that all the children had eaten cake and candy. When asked about their children afterwards, all the parents talked about how wild their children behaved after eating so much sugar.
All the parents perceived their children as acting hyper because of too much sugar even though half the children had had no sugar at all. The scientist said it isn’t the sugar. It is the excitement. The children weren’t any more hyper after cake. If they were hyper, it was the running around with other children that did it. Or it was the myth of sugar encouraging parents to believe their children were more hyper.
When I tell parents this, they say, almost without exception, that their children were affected by sugar.
You can’t beat perception. If you think that the publishing industry is one way, are you right? Can anything convince you otherwise? Is your work what you think? How do you know you’re right, anyway?
Marta Pelrine-Bacon 
That is a nice cake. š
I have heard the sugar thing for so many years and never found it to be true either. But when you tell people that sugar doesn’t impact kids like that, they argue and treat you like you’re crazy. Over 20 years I’ve been saying sugar doesn’t make kids go nuts.
Perception is everything – just watch Kung Fu Panda! “You must believe, that makes all the difference!” š
How do I know I’m right? Pshaw, I’m always right! LOL š
My dad makes great cake!
You are the first mom I’ve met who doesn’t argue with me about the sugar! Always right, like you said.
That’s a fascinating piece of research.
I suspect you get a similar effect with adults and alcohol – many people attribute loosening up at a party to drinking and that can be the case, but other people loosen up quite well with fruit juice.
I love research like that. It reminds me of that scene in Harry Potter where Ron believes he’s taken the luck potion, and so he plays great. Belief isn’t everything, but it can make a difference.
Great cake, for sure.
I’ve heard that research before. I believe in my writing most days. I don’t other days. Some days I’ll be hyper on sugar and other days I won’t?
Maybe there is a writing placebo effect?
Actually, I think there is a writing-reality effect. It starts with what you are willing to believe and grows from there. A willingness to believe that creativity is a good and important thing. That writing is a worthy endeavor. That writing has a good effect on one’s soul, on one’s life. Then, if we accept that writing is important to us and that we will honor it’s value -and our value- by writing, then it becomes our personal reality. A touchstone. Whatever happens from there might be interesting, rewarding or discouraging, but what ultimately matters is our personal reality, not anyone else’s perceptions. Publishing houses rise and fall. Bestsellers come and go. All we can do is practice our craft, and write.