Associations between odours and stages of life
1. Smells like teen spirit: Associations between odours and stages of life – A preliminary study
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.02.016
Food Quality and Preference Volume 59, July 2017, Pages 150-155
Odour samples
For this study seven different odours were selected: fruity-citrus (lemon oil), vanilla (vanillin), floral (linalool), spicy-brown (eugenol), confectionery (isoamyl acetate), green ((E,Z)-nona-2,6-dienal) and nutty (2-methoxy-3-methyl pyrazine).
Participants
The data was obtained from a total of 397 participants.
The participants for this study were recruited from four different age groups: (i) kids 6 to 10 years; (ii) adolescents 11–20 years; (iii) adults 21–65 years; (iv) seniors 65+ years. Total of at least 50 people per age group.(76 kids, 103 adolescents, 163 adults, 55 seniors)
Test procedure
The test procedure the participants were asked to take the sniffing strips out of the covers and to sniff the offered odours. After sniffing, the participants were asked to answer questions on a paper questionnaire, which consisted of the following two parts:
(i) question for the age-associated assignment: ‘Which age group comes into your mind first, when you smell this odour? Please choose one.’ (kids, adolescents, adults, seniors);
(ii) questions concerning the liking of the odours and the familiarity with the presented odours. ‘I like the odour.’ (yes/no), and ‘I know the odour.’ (yes/no), followed by a request to describe the odour.
Results
| Empty Cell | Kids [%] | Adolescents [%] | Adults [%] | Seniors [%] | Liking of
odour [%] |
Identification
rate [%] |
| Total cohort, N = 379, females, 56.4%, average age 30.5 years | ||||||
| Confectionery | 48 | 23 | 17 | 12 | 74 | 74 |
| Floral | 13 | 19 | 40 | 28 | 65 | 59 |
| Fruity-citrus | 27 | 31 | 27 | 15 | 85 | 85 |
| Green | 9 | 10 | 37 | 44 | 40 | 61 |
| Nutty | 9 | 11 | 27 | 53 | 19 | 45 |
| Spicy-brown | 19 | 17 | 39 | 25 | 78 | 82 |
| Vanilla | 42 | 27 | 22 | 9 | 87 | 80 |
| Total | 24 | 20 | 30 | 26 | ||
Relationship between liking and life stage assignment
Participants assigned pleasant smells to the youth and unpleasant smells to the elderly might appear a bit offending, but this matter of fact could have its roots in certain conceptions of the final period of life. The fear or unpopularity of higher age life stage might be a reason for these correlations.
