Wash your hands: Wipe away doubt

The next time you start to second-guess a recent decision, go wash your hands. New research suggests that a good rinse can reassure you that you made the right choice.

Using the guise of a consumer product survey, researchers at the University of Michigan asked a group of undergraduate students to make a series of simple decisions. For example, in one exercise, participants were told to pick their top 10 out of 30 given CDs and then rank those by personal preference. They were then given the opportunity to wash their hands before having to review their choices.

Students who washed their hands were less likely to question their decisions, researchers say. The findings, published in the current issue of Science, coincide with earlier research that suggests hand washing helps lessen guilt or regret of past immoral behavior.

Need a little reassurance on your call with Ms. Smith and Daisy this morning? Check out the related links below for loads more reasons to wash.