"[9][10] Her work helped to presage mind/body medicine,[11] which has been regarded by many scientists to be an important intellectual movement and one that now has "considerable evidence that an array of mind-body therapies can be used as effective adjuncts to conventional medical treatment.

"[12] She has co-authored experimental research indicating a connection between time perception and wound healing.

[1] Additionally, in many introductory psychology courses at universities across the United States, her studies are required reading.

Daniel Gilbert, a psychology professor, stated in the 1989 anthology Unintended Thought, “[Langer] pointed out that social inference is not always a conscious and deliberate act; rather it is often the province of mindless automata.” He further noted, “This clarion call was widely appreciated, and if Langer did not quite set the stage for a psychology of unconscious social inference, she at least rented the theatre.”[1] Langer and colleagues have conducted multiple forms of research to promote the flexibility of aging.

This study found that when elderly men were temporarily placed in a setting that recreated their past, their health improved, and they even looked younger.

The study was the basis of a British Academy of Film and Television Awards nominated BBC series, The Young Ones.

Another study showed that among nursing home patients, simply taking care of a plant improves mental and physical health, as well as life expectancy.