Why are there mirrors in the elevator?
The need to look at one’s reflection in the mirror is a gesture anchored in our habits. Not a day goes by without this object being used by the majority of people: when waking up or going to bedtime to wash, to get ready before going out, during the day to check if your outfit is correct or for an express makeup touch… By necessity or by coquetry, it is our daily companion. But, if the mirror has its legitimate place in certain strategic places such as a bedroom, a bathroom, a shop cloakroom or a hotel lobby, there is reason to wonder about its presence in an elevator.
Why is the mirror so useful to us in this confined and mobile space? There are several reasons for this:
- First of all, it offers some comfort. In its early days, the elevator worked slowly and many people complained about it. The builders then decided to install mirrors to distract all those who use it to go up or down the floors. Thus, by dint of admiring oneself in front of the ice, time seemed to pass much faster.
- Another common reason is that it counterbalances the narrowness of elevator cabins, giving the illusion of a larger space. It should not be forgotten that many people still suffer from claustrophobia in an elevator, despite all its technical and aesthetic improvements.
- The tight space of the elevator leads to the feeling of suffocation and the apprehension of being stuck inside. All these emotions lead to stress and increased heart rate. Also, the mirror will help reduce anxiety by giving the impression that the space is less narrow. Feeling psychologically that the space seems bigger will thus relax claustrophobic people more, helping them to breathe better and not to panic.
Some little-known anecdotes about mirrors
Now that you better understand the need to have mirrors in the elevator, it would be interesting to know who are the ones who use them the most. Contrary to popular belief, it is not women who are most fond of it. To be honest, some even prefer to avoid them: when the lighting is not very advantageous, they do not dare to look at themselves so as not to visualize the imperfections of the face. In general, women wait until they are alone to do some makeup touch-ups. It would therefore seem that men use the mirror more to perfect their outfit or to observe the other people present inside the cabin.
Did you know? Among the many superstitions related to mirrors, some believe that these ice creams can cause hallucinations. If a person sits in a dark room, about two meters from a mirror, and then stares at it for about ten minutes, he would start hallucinating when he sees strange faces, monsters or fantastic animals.
Another fascinating fact: animals can only recognize themselves after 18 to 24 months of life. Dolphins and some species of monkeys manage to identify their reflection, while dogs can recognize other breeds of dogs, but not themselves. Finally, it turns out that the mirror would reduce the anxiety of horses and help them calm down.
