How does smell influence Behaviour?

The limbic system comprises a set of structures within the brain that are regarded by scientists as playing a major role in controlling mood, memory, behaviour and emotion. Smell is closely linked with memory, probably more so than any of our other senses. This can often happen spontaneously, with a smell acting as a trigger in recalling a long-forgotten event or experience. Smell and Emotion In addition to being the sense most closely linked to memory, smell is also highly emotive. The perfume industry is built around this connection, with perfumers developing fragrances that seek to convey a vast array of emotions and feelings; from desire to power, vitality to relaxation. On a more personal level, smell is extremely important when it comes to attraction between two people. Research has shown that our body odour, produced by the genes which make up our immune system, can help us subconsciously choose our partners. It is likely that much of our emotional response to smell is governed by association, something which is borne out by the fact that different people can have completely different perceptions of the same smell. Smell loss can affect one’s ability to form and maintain close personal relationships and can lead to depression.

Scents can affect our work performance, behavior, and mood. Odors elicit responses because of our personal associations with them. An odor has an affect on us because we have associated that odor with a specific event. Associative learning can make a person prefer one scent over another, but it can also explain how smells influence our moods and behavior. Studies on scent effects have shown that moods influence our thinking and actions. Pleasant odors increase positive behavior such as completing tasks more efficiently and helping others. Exposure to pleasant odors has also been found to enhance performance on complex or tedious tasks. On the other hand, exposure to unpleasant odors impaired judgement and made subjects less patient. The sense of smell is the only sense connected in this way which helps explain why smells evoke such strong emotional responses.