Scent of a Woman-Or Man: Odors Influence Person Knowledge

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Sensory Science

Background:

• First impressions of social traits are formed rapidly from limited information.
• The impact of non-body odors on social impression formation is not well understood.
• Research has yet to explore whether odorant attributes can be transferred to individuals associated with a scent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if non-body odors can influence first impressions of a hypothetical person.
• To determine if the attributes of an odorant can be perceived as belonging to an associated individual.
• To identify which odorants are more effective in shaping social impressions.

Main Methods:

• 101 participants formed impressions of a hypothetical person using a silhouette, personal characteristics, and one of five odorants.
• Participants rated the likelihood of the person possessing 51 personality traits across six categories.
• Odorants were directly rated for attribute categories and intensity.

Main Results:

• Hypothetical person ratings were less different from the presented odor compared to other odors.
• The influence of odorants on impression formation varied significantly.
• Specific odorants were more effective than others in imbuing the person with odor attributes.

Conclusions:

• A hypothetical person can be imbued with the specific attributes of an associated odor.
• The effectiveness of odorants in shaping social impressions is odor-dependent.
• Olfactory cues, beyond body odor, play a role in social perception and impression formation.