Start looking for other shirts that were different-but-similar to that shirt in various ways, wearing those, and seeing if they elicited similar responses. Ten shirts ought to be enough to start drawing some conclusions about what aspects are and aren’t relevant.
Identify modality by analyzing the reactions. If people don’t respond differently until they hug me, but do respond differently afterwards, I’d suspect that the important aspects are tactile; if vice-versa visual.
Test whether pictures of me in that shirt elicit similar reactions. If so, test whether B&W pictures do. If not, I’d suspect that the color of the shirt is important.
Some ideas.
Start looking for other shirts that were different-but-similar to that shirt in various ways, wearing those, and seeing if they elicited similar responses. Ten shirts ought to be enough to start drawing some conclusions about what aspects are and aren’t relevant.
Identify modality by analyzing the reactions. If people don’t respond differently until they hug me, but do respond differently afterwards, I’d suspect that the important aspects are tactile; if vice-versa visual.
Test whether pictures of me in that shirt elicit similar reactions. If so, test whether B&W pictures do. If not, I’d suspect that the color of the shirt is important.