Olfactory Fact #133: A Kid’s Nose Knows Kids!
May 27, 2008
Children can identify their siblings from other kids the same age, by scent alone!
Forget that Trail of Bread Crumbs
May 27, 2008
We may not be equipped to track a four-day-old scent through the swamp like Old Duke, but humans do have a better sense of smell than previously thought, according to a study headed by biophysicist Jessica Porter and neuroscientist Noam Sobel at the University of California at Berkeley. Blindfolded, ear-plugged, and wearing heavy gloves, a group of 32 students got down on their hands and knees to sniff out a trail of chocolate oil over a ten-meter course that took a 45-degree bend. Given three chances, twenty one (66%) managed to stay on the trail to the end. “Some got it the first time, some the second, some the third,” says Porter. “If they didn’t get it by the third, we counted them in the ‘couldn’t do it’ category.”
Significantly, the volunteers used both nostrils to tell which way the scent was stronger, much as we use both eyes and ears to determine the source of a sight or sound. With one nostril taped shut, the success rate dropped to only 36%.
Do As I Say, Not As I Smell
May 27, 2008
6- to 13-month-old infants with greater previous exposure to alcohol (inferred from questionnaires about parental drinking) could discern its smell from the smell of vanilla, according to a study conducted by Julie A. Mennella, Director of Education Outreach at the Monell Chemical Senses Center. When given toys which smelled of either alcohol or vanilla, the infants from homes where one or more parent was at risk for alcoholism were more likely than other infants to choose the alcohol scented toy. That study showed both that the alcohol smell evoked a behavioral response and that sensory learning based on smell is keenly selective, says Mennella. “Because of a unique interconnection between the olfactory and limbic systems, memories evoked by odors are more emotionally charged than those evoked by other sensory stimuli.”
Impulse Selling through Package Smelling
May 27, 2008
A study conducted by The New York Times’ marketing research department discovered that when given a choice between two similar food or beverage products, 81 percent of consumers would choose one they could smell and see over one they could only see.
More Chocolatine, Please
May 27, 2008
A new concept in scented packaging has been jointly developed to give cosmetic and personal care a new kind of sensory packaging and another tool to promote their products. The concept known as ‘Chocolatine’ is designed to give brand owners the opportunity to appeal to the sense of smell of the consumer, generating what is described as an impulse reaction to make a purchase, without having to tamper with the product. Jointly developed by Eastman Chemicals, Rotuba, Eurofragrance, and EJ Pack, Chocolatine consists of a clear injection blow-moulded jar containing a scented cream with a chocolate, vanilla and orange fragrance and with a jar lid that actually encapsulates and disperses a scent identical to that of the cream.
Stinking and Driving
May 27, 2008
The smell of cinnamon or peppermint might take the edge off road rage during your next traffic jam, according to Bryan Raudenbush, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at West Virginia’s Wheeling Jesuit University. Past research has shown that peppermint and cinnamon odors boost motivation, performance, and alertness while cutting fatigue and stimulating the brain, prompting Raudenbush to study the effects of those scents in a simulated driving experiment.
Participants “drove” under three different conditions: no odor, cinnamon, or peppermint. Cinnamon and peppermint were pumped through an oxygen concentrator for 30 seconds every 15 minutes. The drivers’ wakefulness, mood, workload, and mental performance were monitored. While prolonged driving led to increased anger, fatigue, and physical demand, as well as decreased energy, Raudenbush noted the following:
*Peppermint decreased anxiety and fatigue while driving.
*Peppermint and cinnamon both decreased driving frustration while driving.
*Peppermint and cinnamon both increased alertness while driving.
In short, say the researchers, “Periodic administration of these odors over long-term driving may prove beneficial in maintaining alertness and decreasing highway accidents and fatalities.”
Olfactory Fact #111: Nationality Influences Scent Perception
May 27, 2008
Hispanics, for instance, are partial to the scent of vanilla, while the Japanese tend to prefer apple.
Cognition, Mood, and Essential Oils
May 27, 2008
In a University of Northumbria study designed to assess the olfactory impact of the essential oils of lavender and rosemary on cognitive performance and mood, 144 participants were randomly assigned to one of three independent groups, and subsequently performed the Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) computerized cognitive assessment battery in a cubicle containing either one of the two odors or no odor (control). Analysis of performance revealed that lavender produced a significant decrease in performance of working memory, and impaired reaction times for both memory and attention based tasks. In contrast, rosemary produced a significant enhancement of performance for overall quality of memory and secondary memory factors, but also produced an impairment of speed of memory. With regard to mood, both the control and lavender groups were significantly less alert than the rosemary condition; however, the control group was significantly less content than both rosemary and lavender conditions. These findings indicate that the olfactory properties of these essential oils can produce objective effects on cognitive performance, as well as subjective effects on mood.
Olfactory Fact #65: Age Groups Smell Differently
May 27, 2008
People born between 1900 and 1930 are nostalgic about natural smells — grass, trees, horses, pie. Those born after 1930 were more likely to remember artificial scents from their youth — Play-Doh, Crayola crayons, Keds, SweetTarts.
Free Teleconference - Tuesday May 27, 7:30 p.m. EST
May 20, 2008
Listen to What You Missed! Here’s the recording of the first Teleconference “Olfactory Facts” which was held on Tuesday, May 20:
Don’t miss the upcoming free teleconference:
You are invited to join us for the second installment of the Insider’s Tele-Conference Series:
Tuesday evening May 27, 2008, at 7:30 p.m EST
Your Branded Scent Signature -
The Four Keys to Creating Your Scent Script
Just Dial: 1-605-475-6000
Access Code: 770359
Lines will fill up fast, so dial in early!
