Chemical Senses 22: 237-248,
© 1997
research-article |
Odor Hedonics: Connection With Emotional Response Estimated by Autonomic Parameters
Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie, CNRS, Équipe Emotion-Cognition, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, F-69622 1Microcapteurs Microsystèmes Biomédicaux INSA Lyon Bat 401, CNRS LPM, 20 Avenue Albert Einstein, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex, France
Correspondence to be sent to: E. Vernet-Maury, Laboratoire de Neurophysiologie CNRS, UMR 5511, Équipe Emotion-Cognition, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon I Bâtiment 404, la Doua, F-69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France
The aim of this paper is to analyse the relationship between self-report hedonic evaluations and the physiological expression of emotion in response to odorants. We try to solve the following questions: (1) Is it possible to find any experimental evidence that the sense of smell is linked with emotion? (2) What kind of odorants can be distinguished by autonomic analysis? (3) Is there a link between hedonics and autonomic information? The effects of odorants on the emotional process were estimated, in terms of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. Fifteen subjects inhaled five odorants as olfactory stimuli: lavender (LAV), ethyl acetoacetate (EAA), camphor (CAM), acetic acid (AA) and butyric acid (BA). After inhaling the odorant, subjects were requested to fill out an 11-point hedonic scale to rate its pleasantness versus unpleasantness. ANS parameters were as follows: two electrodermal responses, skin potential (SP) and resistance (SR); two thermovascular parameters, skin blood flow (SBF) and skin temperature (ST); and two cardiorespiratory parameters: instantaneous respiratory frequency (IRF) and instantaneous heart rate (IHR). Simultaneous recording of six parameters showed that specific autonomic patterns were associated with each odorant. An analysis of variance made it possible to differentiate among the five odorants. Two-by-two odorant comparisons for autonomic responses using Tukey's HSD multiple comparison test only permitted differentiation between pleasant odorants (LAV and EAA) and unpleasant (AA and BA) ones, but camphor was differentiated from both pleasant and unpleasant odorants. Each odorant elicited responses in the different parameters, yet subjects responded through their preferential channels; an average of two channels was used by each subject. These results when compared with those obtained with other senses (visual and auditory). did not evidence the postulated preferential link between olfaction and emotion. A'strong link between hedonics and ANS response could be demonstrated when considering each subject and mainly through his/her preferential channel(s); conversely a weak correlation (SR duration excepted) was obtained between inter-subjects' hedonic evaluation. It seems that for a given population the autonomic response reflect the odor valence only through some parameters related to the main preferential channel(s) and thus the global autonomic pattern has to be considered. Chem. Senses 22: 237–248, 1997.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  C. Chrea, D. Grandjean, S. Delplanque, I. Cayeux, B. Le Calve, L. Aymard, M. I. Velazco, D. Sander, and K. R. Scherer Mapping the Semantic Space for the Subjective Experience of Emotional Responses to Odors Chem Senses, January 1, 2009; 34(1): 49 - 62. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. FUSARI and S. BALLESTEROS Identification of odors of edible and nonedible stimuli as affected by age and gender Behav Res Methods, August 1, 2008; 40(3): 752 - 759. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. T. Weber and E. Heuberger The Impact of Natural Odors on Affective States in Humans Chem Senses, June 1, 2008; 33(5): 441 - 447. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Delplanque, D. Grandjean, C. Chrea, L. Aymard, I. Cayeux, B. Le Calve, M. I. Velazco, K. R. Scherer, and D. Sander Emotional Processing of Odors: Evidence for a Nonlinear Relation between Pleasantness and Familiarity Evaluations Chem Senses, June 1, 2008; 33(5): 469 - 479. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Djordjevic, J. N. Lundstrom, F. Clement, J. A. Boyle, S. Pouliot, and M. Jones-Gotman A Rose by Any Other Name: Would it Smell as Sweet? J Neurophysiol, January 1, 2008; 99(1): 386 - 393. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. U. Jonsson, H. Olsson, and M. J. Olsson Odor Emotionality Affects the Confidence in Odor Naming Chem Senses, January 1, 2005; 30(1): 29 - 35. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P.-M. Lledo, G. Gheusi, and J.-D. Vincent Information Processing in the Mammalian Olfactory System Physiol Rev, January 1, 2005; 85(1): 281 - 317. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. Marlier, C. Gaugler, and J. Messer Olfactory Stimulation Prevents Apnea in Premature Newborns Pediatrics, January 1, 2005; 115(1): 83 - 88. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Bensafi, C. Rouby, V. Farget, B. Bertrand, M. Vigouroux, and A. Holley Autonomic Nervous System Responses to Odours: the Role of Pleasantness and Arousal Chem Senses, October 1, 2002; 27(8): 703 - 709. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. Brand and L. Jacquot Sensitization and Desensitization to Allyl Isothiocyanate (Mustard Oil) in the Nasal Cavity Chem Senses, September 1, 2002; 27(7): 593 - 598. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Heuberger, T. Hongratanaworakit, C. Bohm, R. Weber, and G. Buchbauer Effects of Chiral Fragrances on Human Autonomic Nervous System Parameters and Self-evaluation Chem Senses, April 1, 2001; 26(3): 281 - 292. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Rousmans, O. Robin, A. Dittmar, and E. Vernet-Maury Autonomic Nervous System Responses Associated with Primary Tastes Chem Senses, December 1, 2000; 25(6): 709 - 718. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 O. Robin, O. Alaoui-Ismaili, A. Dittmar, and E. Vernet-Maury Emotional Responses Evoked by Dental Odors: An Evaluation from Autonomic Parameters Journal of Dental Research, August 1, 1998; 77(8): 1638 - 1646. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|