The Myths and realities of Odour Psychology - a look at the psychological aspects of fragrance published in Personal Care November 2011

1. FRAGRANCES Murray Hunter – University Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP)
The myths and realities
of odour psychology
We exist with odours all around us from
the food we prepare, buy and eat, the
environment we live within, and the
offices, houses, apartments, toilets,
animals, and people we come across day
in, day out. We make judgements about
what we smell, where odour certainly
influences the proximity of our
relationships with others. Body odours tell
us a lot about a person’s disposition.
Odour influenced public policy about
sewage and rubbish collection and was
one of the main reasons the world’s
population is no longer subject to great
plagues that hit earlier societies through
the ages.
www.morgulefile.com
The ability to smell was one of our
most primal senses, which was important
in helping us find food, give warnings of
danger, and identify spoiled food, etc.
Odour also masked our body odours and
gave us a sense of pleasure and We exist with odours all around us from the food we prepare.
sensuality. The importance of odour has
declined in our age as most city buildings root of the mass of particles) towards 70% of our odour perception travels
and homes are relatively sterile or neutral areas of lesser concentration where the through this system of receptors.1
in their odour. The majority of odours we olfactory mucosa, a membrane with a As mentioned above, aromatic
come across in the urban environment mucous surface contains the olfactory molecules must possess some water
are commercially produced in the bakery, receptors at the top of the nasal cavity. solubility characteristics, have a high
from an air freshener, through the air Odour molecules are slightly water soluble vapour pressure, and have the ability to
conditioning system, or from a colleague and can pass through the lipid rich dissolve in fat. Molecules above a
wearing an eau de toilette. Relatively few mucous that immerse the receptors at the molecular weight of 300 cannot pass
people now directly appreciate the odour epithelium surface and interact with through the mucous membrane, thus our
of new mown hay, the changing odour of olfactory receptor neurons. The odorants inability to smell any molecule with a
hanging jasmine on a trellis, or the smell bind with the olfactory receptor neurons molecular weight more than that. Each
of ozone after a thunder storm. and change the shape of proteins, neuron has only one type of receptor, of
We must first understand some of the creating ion flows which pass along the which there are about 1,000 different
basic concepts about the physiology and axons of the olfactory nerve through the types. Even aromatic molecules with
cognitive aspects of our olfactory cribriform plate or skull to reach the slightly different chemical structures
architecture to understand the myths and olfactory bulb (alomeruli) which is an activate different types of receptors, so
realities about the psychology of smell. outcropping from the inferior (bottom) octanal smells like orange will be
side of the pre-frontal cortex of the brain. differentiated from the similar octanal
Our olfactory architecture The olfactory mucosa also contains acids which are sweeter. Larger amounts
How the olfactory system works has been another sensory system made up of of aromatic molecules tend to bind a
well explained by other literature and this trigeminal nerve receptors which are able wider variety of receptors than do smaller
will only be briefly recanted here. When to sense tactile pressure, pain, and amounts of the same molecule. This may
we sniff something or just breathe in temperature variation. They also exist explain why concentrated amounts of
through our nose, we also inhale aromatic around the mouth and eyes. These indole tend to smell horrible but lower
molecules with the air. These molecules receptors can sense hot, cold, tingling, concentrations smell somewhat sweet and
are bundled together in their millions and and irritability, in a similar manner to the florally. Although the rate of odour flow
diffuse from their concentration according skin. It is through these receptors that we does not affect the intensity of the odour,
to Graham’s law (the rate of effusion of a can sense the coldness of menthol and a concentrated odour molecule that
gas is inversely proportional to the square the warmth of methyl salicylate. Up to attaches to most receptors may prevent
22 P E R S O N A L C A R E November 2011

2. FRAGRANCES
Olfactory input
Sensation:
Other inputs a sensory message transmission
sight, hearing, touch and taste of information about the environment
to the brain
Symbolism:
Product/strategy attributes, advertising, Transduction:
themes, symbols, logos, colours, To sensory receptors
convert physical energy into neural
social attitudes and acceptance etc.
Interpretation Cognitive processing Memory retrieval
Meaning:
Shared meaning and fantasy imagination, emotions, Behaviour
fantasy and belief
Figure 1: The olfactory interpretation process from input to response.
the receptors sensing other odour Cognitive processing In women, the hypothalamus synchronises
molecules bringing on a condition that a What happens next is much more the levels of oestrus which controls
perfumer calls olfactory fatigue, where the interesting and relevant to the myths and menstruation. In animals, the
sense of smell is lost to other odours for a realities of odour psychology. Sensory hypothalamus regulates sexual drive from
short period of time until the receptors are information from the olfactory bulb is receiving certain pheromonal stimuli, but to
free again. despatched to two different locations date this process has not been found in
It is estimated that a human can within the brain. humans. Pheromones tend to be odourless
differentiate between 5,000-10,000 The first is the limbic cortex deep within chemicals to humans but in animals
odours.2 This is probably possible through the middle of the brain, responsible for our influence behaviour in powerful ways. It is
some method of combinational recognition emotions, moods, feelings, sexual arousal, questionable whether our olfactory system
and processing scheme to encode the and long term memory retrieval. It is also would detect them. The hypothalamus also
identities of different odours, and a single responsible for the feelings of “high” or reacts to blood-borne stimuli, which may
odour may be recognisable by a single intoxication we feel from recreational be an important issue in aromatherapy,
receptor and different odourants are drugs. The limbic cortex is very closely discussed a little later.
recognised through different combinations connected to the pre-frontal lobes, which Due to the fact that our olfactory system
of receptors.3 are responsible for our creativity and connects directly to the emotional part of
However, just as a person can recognise imagination.6 Both these areas, the pre- our brain, one would expect odour to evoke
slurred vowels spoken by someone or read frontal lobes and limbic cortex, play a very primal behaviour in humans. This is not the
sentences that are spelt incorrectly, the important role in our motivations, and thus case, in fact the brain does not know what
brain through the process of categorical behaviour. any odour signifies until we learn what it is
perception simplifies our perception loads The second area that signals are sent to and through our life experiences connect
into convenient odour groups or is the hypothalamus which is responsible particular odours to our feelings and
categories.4 As we know, similarly for the restoration of the physical emotions. The meaning of fragrance is a
structured molecules do not necessarily metabolism through balancing hormones, socially constructed reality; just like we
smell the same, and differently structured blood glucose, and regulating temperature. learn the meanings of words, sounds, and
molecules may smell the same, thus it is things we see and touch.7
not easy to relate smell with the Just like everything else, odours are
physiochemical structure to our sense of not encoded with any meaning at the
smell. Our categorisation of odours actually perception level. Odours are compared to
puts limits and biases upon how we define the “database” of our life experiences
them through the various classification within our long term memory to provide
systems that have been developed over the meaning. Prior to this socialisation, all
years. It is only when brilliant innovations odours are inherently neutral in being
are recognised that our restricted pleasant or unpleasant and have no
www.ml.wikipedia.org Aruna
vocabularies are expanded. Fragrance was attached emotional or other meaning
categorised into nicely restrictive embedded within our memory. Thus, any
compartments until Martin Gras wrote his meaning attached to any odour is the
two seminal papers The Overdose and The result of our experiences and socialisation,
Overdose II that we could see beyond the requiring associations between perception,
compartmental definitions we devised for the odour, the event, and our feelings and
ourselves.5 Chempaka flowers (Michelia champaca) has emotions about it. But due to the fact that
Unlike the receptors in our sight and an odour quite popular in the West, but to a odour perception information flows directly
hearing, olfactory receptors regenerate. Malay it symbolises death. to the limbic cortex, odour acts very quickly,
November 2011 P E R S O N A L C A R E 23

3. FRAGRANCES
prompting stimuli to retrieve memory and socially spread across the globe, as new Bill Killgrove of the air cavalry in the film
emotions. wonderments from other lands, just as tea Apocalypse Now, played by Robert Duvall,
The following examples show odour is a and coffee were brought back from the where he said in that famous beach
cultural phenomenon. First, the odour of new world to the old world of Europe landing scene: “Do you smell that son,
chilli; to some this means something hundreds of years ago through the napalm son...I love the smell of napalm in
delicious to crave for, Thai somtam for expeditionary vogues of the Portuguese, the morning...it smells...like....victory”.
example. To others, the smell of chilli (or Spanish, Dutch, French, and English Odour is associated with values and
maybe more correctly, the associated galleons of the times. aspirations, dreams and hopes. Odour is
odours around a chilli based dish) acts as a Odour was not sensual in the beginning; our fantasy and brings memories, personal
warning: “Don’t eat this or I will suffer it had to be connected to sensuality.8 The meanings, and feelings to the present.
badly”. Again a bakery in a shopping mall earliest known use of fragrance for sensual Odour is a nexus between the past, present
gives an Australian a sense of feeling good, purposes was the use of fragrant plants and future, linking them in powerful ways
but the smell of a good curry will give a infused into olive and sesame oils for that strongly influence the way people
South Asian that same sense of feeling ointments around 7,000 BC. Around behave in the future.
good and anticipation (however, with the 3,000 BC the Egyptians used myrrh for Why is this so important? Because we
globalisation and move into cross-cultural their pleasure and by 700 BC, Athens was are influenced by our internal cognitive
fusion cuisines, culinary signals now work a mercantile trading centre for perfumes.9 processes, our memory and the outside
across many cultures, rather than the Aristocrats during the first century AD in world. Product creation requires
culture that the dish originated from). Rome heavily imported frankincense and imagination to construct the customer
Chempaka flowers have a deep rich, sweet myrrh. Nero was famous for his scented orientations necessary.12,13 But the essence
floral odour reminiscent of one of the finest parties – as no “orgy” was complete of opportunity also requires consumers to
fragrances, quite popular in the West, but without perfume.10 be imaginative, by bringing the external
to a Malay it symbolises death, as the tree internally; to imagine what it would be like
is common in graveyards. Food and odour The commercialisation to live at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Cost
are social constructions. of fragrance of Queensland, Australia, to imagine what it
We can see this socialisation in all the Research into cognitive olfaction dragged would be like consuming a Ferrero Rocher
things we smell. Lemon did not give the behind the other senses until relatively Chocolate, to imagine climbing the Eiffel
idea of “fresh” until we socially accepted it recently.11 We cannot predict what Tower in Paris, France, to imagine skiing at
as so. Remember the heavy advertising fragrance will be popular and sell well, as Boulder, Colorado during the winter
during the 1960s about lemon cleaning there are no universal rules or secrets that holidays, to imagine owning an Apple
power. We had to learn that. These can be employed because the iPhone, to imagine wearing Beyonce
meanings probably came from our earlier psychological effects depend so much on Perfume, to imagine the benefits to the
associations with the environment and acquired associations. Remember Lt. Col. community a cup of Starbucks Coffee
would have, and how that raffle ticket
would assist the fight against cancer.
Product/strategy Imagination is an aid to practical thinking
attributes and opens the door to making purchasing
decisions.14 All our hopes, enlightenment,
fears, and desires come from imagination.
Brands are able to give consumers a sense
of identity and enrich their life experiences,
Features Benefits Signal Channels a shared imagination or fantasy. Together
attributes the internal and external determine our
behaviour, which is what marketing is
about. Figure 1 schematises the olfactory
General
Tangible Intangible interpretation process from input to
impression Local
benefits benefits Strength response, highlighting the role of fragrance
Spiritual International in the marketing picture.
impression Performance Internally we are influenced by our
Consumer selectivity, what we put our attention upon,
Efficacy Romance Variant demographics which is influenced by our motivations,
Tactile and
sensory emotions, curiosity, values, cognitive, style,
Efficacy Health and Indicator Mainstream
impression experience, personality, and interests.
according wellbeing of use or specialised
to theme Externally, we are attracted/distracted by
Impact the symbols, meaning, peer acceptances,
Caring Life status Form of
Pleasant messages aimed at various characteristics
Odour promotion and
and lasting Security Freshness association of our ego like “satisfying needs and
profile
fragrance apt to wants”, “sensual pleasure”, ”status
Substantively Lifestyle Association product symbols”, “feeling good”, “being attractive
association theme to others”, “gaining admiration from
Ingredients others”, “power”, “fun”, “happiness”, etc.
Concern
(according Product promoters try to create the images
to theme) and symbols that we will connect to our
alter ego and stimulate our imagination
that has emotional strength to influence
Figure 2: Product/strategy attribute profile. our behaviour. And it is when companies
24 P E R S O N A L C A R E November 2011

4. Fresh Efficacy
Citrus Family Medicated
Ozonic
Mint
Coniferous
Floral Family
Ambergris
Spicy Metallic
Peach
Powdery Woody
Balsamic Agrestic
Green
Musk
Peppery
Gentle Strong
Figure 3: Psychological grid of fragrance interpretation.19
successfully develop a shared imagination importance in the 80s and 90s.17 Now
stimulated by the themes, images, themes are the great product
symbols, and personalities they project into
their products, that are supported by the
attributes of the product, market success
differentiators, of which fragrance is the
prompting mechanism. Figure 2 shows a
product/strategy attribute profile where both
The art
is within the firm’s grasp. Fragrance is one
of the most powerful of these attributes.
primary and secondary product attributes
are merged to create the product’s image of science
Try walking past a Dunkin Donut store with consumers. If all the product attributes
when they are making a fresh batch of together can successfully espouse a
donuts. Fragrance combined with the shop theme, then a very powerful product
layout, position, colours used, combine to identity will be created. Look at fine
create an influence that is hard to resist. fragrance marketing campaigns we
Fragrance, when combined with the other discussed above as an example.
senses, is extremely powerful,15 and We have been socially conditioned to
companies know that. They create the associate odour to particular emotions,
images and symbols and try to embed stimulation of intense pleasure, efficacy,
them within us. freshness, sensuality, gentleness, and
So is it the odour that sells the product, success, etc. This link between odour and
or other factors? Somewhere, one hopes, emotion is so powerful that very old
the answer lies within the continuum of memories and vivid emotions can be
these factors. Without the other factors a evoked instantaneously like experiences
fragrance is not immediately meaningful. that occurred yesterday.18 Fragrances are
The role of fragrance is to help differentiate signals which can communicate messages
the product from its competitors.16 to consumers.
Fragrance in cosmetics and personal care Thus the product message must be
products helps to render a product converted into an odour. The perfumer must
distinguishable to the consumer in the vast be aware of the issues involved, where
array of products on the shelf. In highly various fragrance families can aid in
developed markets, cosmetics, toiletries suggesting gentleness, freshness, strength,
and household products have reached a and efficacy in a product. For example some
stage where differentiation of primary citrus notes can convey the concept of
product image builders (advertising, fresh, which is important in dishwashing
promotion, price, packaging) have become liquids, while laundry products may require
difficult to develop as a source of gentle, efficacy or freshness-efficacy,
competitive advantage over competing depending upon the target consumer. A
products. Secondary image builders shampoo may require fresh and gentle or Multifunctional Cosmetic Additives
(fragrance, colour, types of ingredients fresh and efficacy depending upon the
used in the product) took on more message the perfumer wants to get across

5. FRAGRANCES
Table 1: What are the myths and realities of odour psychology?
To our present knowledge there are no Just like any language is limited by its Our olfactory receptors cannot distinguish
aromatic materials that act as pheromones vocabulary, fragrance novelty is limited between natural and synthetic odours
on humans. Human pheromones are by the fragrance vocabulary and because, to all intents and purposes, the
considered a myth. Fragrance does not classification systems of the day. molecule is exactly the same, except for
physiologically sexually arouse people; rather Novelty only increases its bounds when some isomer differences. The
any effects are from emotional association perfumers go beyond current appreciation of something natural is a
and suggestion based on society’s current classifications and create the need for value rather than being something
set of behaviours. The most important new classifications. In probability with physiologically different. There is nothing
sexual aid we have is our imagination. the commercial orientations of the wrong with having values about things,
Any fragrance creation will not be deemed industry, breaking the bounds will be a because without values the human
novel without reference to the acceptance truly rare occurrence that will happen species would not survive.
of peers and customers. Commercial only a couple of times each century. Odour is situational to people, places,
success rather than the beauty of the Aromatherapy efficacy through inhaling and contexts. Due to the influences upon
product itself is the criteria by which any odours depends upon the ability of the (air conditions, fatigue, concentrations,
odour is deemed novel in the fragrance odour to connect with moods and etc.), and architecture of the olfactory
industry. Therefore fragrance creativity has a emotions to be effective.20 As we are system, different people in different
competitive streak through it in aware, the connection of odours to circumstances will smell an odour
commerciality, taking it further away from emotions is a social construction and differently. This is also cultural specific,
the concept of art. This is contrary to what the way aromatherapy through and contextual to different situations, i.e.,
the “new age” natural perfumers aspire. inhalation works is through the beliefs of camphor is medicinal to Australians but
Odour does stimulate behaviour through our the user. There is nothing wrong with used to embalm corpses in Malaysia,
emotions but in specific situational ways that because it is what one believes that thus creating different imagery in people.
that may be unique to every individual, is reality, and the correlation between Finally, a great perfumer must have
remember the Killgrove example. Due to moods and wellbeing is a strong one. imagination, curiosity, the emotions of
olfactory signals going directly to the limbic The relationship between odour and the interest and passion, olfactory sensitivity,
cortex which also controls emotions, hypothalamus is still unexplored territory a prior knowledge of odourous materials
fragrance will always have an important at this point of time. Aromatherapy and their characteristics, knowledge of
influence on humans that fragrance and through infusion and massage has the outstanding fragrance creations, practical
cosmetic companies will continue to try to ability to push more essential oils into experience, time, patience and
exploit. Perfumery will remain a multi-billion the body through digestion and skin perseverance, be an artist, psychologist,
dollar commercially orientated industry. absorption respectively. and marketing practitioner, all in one.
to the consumer. These are supported by, References enigmatic sense of smell. New York: Harper
and also support the other product attributes 1 Ohloff G. Scent and fragrance. Berlin & Perennial, 2007.
the company associates with its product. Heidelberg, Springer-Verlag, 1994. 12 Gabay J. Imaginative marketing. London: Teach
Figure 3 shows a grid where different 2 Gilbert AN. What the nose knows: the science Yourself Books, 1998.
fragrance families are plotted within the of scent in everyday life. New York: Harper 13 Postma P The new marketing era: marketing to
.
four sectors denoting gentleness, Perennial, 2008. the imagination in a technology driven world.
freshness, strength and efficacy. Some 3 Malnic B, Hirono J, Sato T, Buck LB. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998.
individual notes from within a family can Combinational receptor codes for odors. 14 Brown S, Patterson A. Figments for sales:
differ in their message from the rest of the Cell 1999; 96 (5): 713-23. marketing, imagination and the artistic
family, as is the example in the floral family 4 Reed SK. Cognition: Theory and Applications imperative. In: Brown S, Patterson A eds.
where some are gentle, others fresh, and 7th edn. Belmont CA: Thomson Wadsworth, Imagining marketing: art, aesthetics and the
others signifying strength and efficacy. 2007. avant-garde. London: Routledge, 2000.
These are all subjective classifications 5 Gras M. The Overdose. Perfumer & Flavorist 15 Wilson DA, Stevenson RJ. Learning to smell:
which are culturally sensitive. 1990; 15 (6): 25-8. olfactory perception from neurobiology to
6 Csikszentmihalyi M. Creativity: flow and the behavior. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University
Myths and realities psychology of discovery and invention. Press, 2006.
So what are the myths and realities of New York: Harper-Collins, 1996. 16 Miles JM. An integrated approach to fragrances and
odour psychology? What does it mean to 7 Herz RS, Beland SL, Hellerstein M. Changing formulation. Drug Cosmet Ind 1989; March, p26.
the industry and the future of fragrance as odor hedonic perception through emotional 17 Hunter M. The use of natural fragrances in
an integral part of the product attributes? associations in humans. Int J Comp Psychol cosmetics: should it be considered? Cosmetics,
How does what we know about cognitive 2004; 17: 315-39. Aerosols & Toiletries in Australia 1996; 10 (3): 47.
olfactory processing alter what we believe .
8 Jellinek P The Practice of Perfumery. London: 18 Goldemburg RL. Aromatherapy for wellbeing.
about odour psychology? Some of these Leonard Hill, 1954. Drug Cosmet Ind 1991; Sept, p42.
questions are answered by merging the 9 Poucher WA. Poucher’s perfumes, cosmetics 19 Hunter M. Essential oils: art, science, industry,
disciplines of human physiology, cognitive and soaps, Vol 2: the production, manufacture agriculture & entrepreneurship: a focus on the
science, aromatic chemistry, psychology, and application of perfumes 9th edn. London: Asia-Pacific. New York: Nova Science Publishers,
and marketing as we have in this paper, Chapman & Hall, 1993. 2009.
which are summarised in Table 1. PC 10 Burr C. The Emperor of Scent: A true story of 20 Herz R (2009). Aromatherapy facts and fictions:
perfume and obsession. New York: Random- a scientific analysis of olfactory effects on mood,
Note: A version of this article was first published House, 2003. physiology and behavior. Int J Neurosci 2009;
by the Australian Society of Cosmetic Chemists. 11 Herz R. The scent of desire: discovering our 119: 263-90.
26 P E R S O N A L C A R E November 2011