Brands won't buy you friends, study suggests

Washington: You might want to rethink about bragging your high-class status because according to the latest study, showing-off might repel people from befriending you.

People often tend to believe that status symbols, like luxury cars, branded accessories or apparels make them socially attractive. However, the research suggests the opposite.

The scientists conducted a series of six studies. Throughout the studies, people presenting themselves to a new group chose higher status items. But when the people were asked to choose a friend, they preferred people with lower or neutral status symbols.

In one of the experiments, the researchers asked people to choose one of the two participants, wearing plain t-shirts, to go on a picnic with. One participant wore a t-shirt with 'Walmart' written on it and the other one had 'Saks Fifth Avenue' logo on his t-shirt.

While the shirts were not luxury items, 64% of people chose the person wearing the "Walmart" t-shirt.

The full findings are present in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.