Kinesthetic sympathy

Kinesthetic sympathy is the state of having an emotional attachment to an object when it is in hand which one did not have when it was out of sight. The fundamental difference of sympathy and empathy is involvement. While one can have sympathy for an inanimate object, empathy would be impossible as it involves interaction from one another. Conquering kinesthetic sympathy is a key component of conquering clutter issues. It is perhaps the driving force behind all problems of hoarding, considering emotional attachment is arguably the most self-proclaimed reason one continues to keep worthless, or unusable items.

NSGDC Study

In 2003, a study was conducted by the NSGCD, the purpose of which was to collect data on the effectiveness of using special techniques with clients to avoid kinetic sympathy. Organizers working with CD clients at their desks were asked to use the kinetic sympathy avoidance process by asking their respective clients to hold a mug, drinking glass, or plastic or metal tumbler as a distracting device while working together. The survey was meant to see if, by holding a solid "distraction" item, the client would exhibit less noticeable kinetic sympathy and, therefore, have a more successful paper processing session. The survey achieved mixed results. However, clients who listed OCD and/or ADD among their disorders were shown find the "distraction" item very helpful in their concentration.

Sources

• Conquering Chronic Disorganization by Judith Kolberg, p. 37-40 [1]