1. the tendency for particular behaviors to be stimulated by a particular situation, even when inappropriate or completely pointless – such as gesturing when using the telephone or applauding a basketball move on the television. 2. the tendency for an individual’s opinion to be affected illogically by an impression made by the wording of the question – as when positively worded premises in a syllogism increase the perceived validity of a false but positively worded conclusion. Also known as the framing effect. See also anchoring bias.
ATMOSPHERE EFFECT: “A person who gestured wildly while using the telephone was exhibiting the atmosphere effect, where the act of talking stimulated the gesturing.”