This may not come as a surprise to many but a recent study discussed in the Journal of Consumer Research has shown that bikinis and other sexy stimuli can make men more prone to seek immediate gratification. Such impulsive behaviour can lead to blown diets, budgets and bank accounts.

Although most firms are not likely to have dress down policies liberal enough to allow bikinis in the office, some men are more easily affected than others. However, don’t assume that the men were just distracted by the stimuli, they actually exhibited improved cognition and creativity – unlikely to be grounds enough for dress codes to be reviewed one suspects…

Before the unscrupulous amongst you begin to consider this as a useful tool for manipulating senior male colleagues, take note: lead researcher Bram Van Den Bergh of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium and colleagues rendered the bikini-effect powerless by satiating the stirred appetite with another type of reward — financial security.

When the men were made to feel well-off, the bikinis lost their influence. However, if they considered themselves poor in comparison to wider society, they were likely to seek immediate gratification after seeing women running in bikinis…

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