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Cognitive, emotional and psychosocial factors in fragrance experience
Author(s) -
Dalton P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
international journal of cosmetic science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1468-2494
pISSN - 0142-5463
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-2494.2004.00219_03.x
Subject(s) - psychology , odor , context (archaeology) , perception , situational ethics , sensation , cognition , psychosocial , sensation seeking , stimulus modality , developmental psychology , cognitive psychology , social psychology , neuroscience , psychotherapist , paleontology , personality , biology
Although the intensity and quality of fragrance perception is elicited by the physical mixture of volatile chemicals available to stimulate the olfactory system, the subjective experience and response an individual exhibits is often the product of those sensory or physiological signals and higher level psychological processes involved in perception, memory and judgment. For example, the frequency and duration of exposure to a fragrance can determine whether the subsequent perception is diminished (adaptation) or enhanced (sensitization), but an individual's memories of prior associations, the situational context or expectations, and their current emotional state are potent modifiers of the intensity and quality of the final chemosensory experience. Similarly, the context in which an irritant sensation is experienced (e.g., the product or situation) may determine whether it is perceived as an adverse or pleasurable sensation. Results from numerous laboratory studies have shown that these factors play a key role in the evaluation of odor and irritant sensations arising from the perception of fragrances. Importantly, cognitive and psychosocial factors appear to have significance for understanding reactions to fragrances in a variety of use situations, from consumer products to indoor environments.