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Aromachology is the study of the influence of odors on human behavior and to examine the relationship between feelings and emotions. Those who practice aromachology are aromachologists. Aromachologists analyze emotions such as relaxation, exhilaration, sensuality, happiness and well-being brought about by odors stimulating the olfactory pathways in the brain and, in particular, the limbic system.C. X. Wang, Sh. L. Chen, Aromachology and its Application in the Textile Field, http://www.fibtex.lodz.pl/54_14_41.pdf Different wearers are thought to have unique physiological and psychological responses to scents, especially those not manufactured synthetically but based on real scents.Celia Lyttleton, The Scent Trail, (2007),
The word "aromachology" is derived from "aroma" and "physio-psychology", the latter being the study of aroma. This term was coined in 1989 by what is now the Sense of Smell Institute (SSI), a division of The Fragrance Foundation.Maria Lis-Balchin, Aromatherapy Science: a Guide for Healthcare Professionals, p. 3, (2006), The SSI defines aromachology as "a concept based on systematic, scientific data collected under controlled conditions". The term is defined as the scientifically observable influence of smell on emotions and moods. Consumers use aromachology to alleviate time pressures, for relaxation or stimulation and as a component of other activities that generate a feeling of well-being."Aromachology? (The consumer counts: fragrance)." Home Accents Today, May 2003, p. 34. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A102520043/ITOF?u=miam11506&sid=ITOF&xid=f0f92b9d. Accessed 21 Oct. 2018.
Although certain plants are known through studies in aromatherapy to have stimulant or relaxing effects, research on wider scopes of application for therapeutic purposes are still at an early stage. Aromachology devotees want to find out how psychological effects are transmitted from scent to the brain, as well as how positive behavioral effects can be induced by scent. Maria Lis-Bachin, author of Aromatherapy Science: a Guide for Healthcare Professionals, notes an overlap between the objectives of aromatherapy and those of aromachology. However, despite this apparent overlapping, academic authors believe that they are distinct branches of research and application, with each having its own research methods and directions.
The aims of aromachology are to "study the interrelationship of psychology and the latest in fragrance technology and to transmit through odor a variety of specific feelings (such as relaxation, exhilaration, sensuality, happiness and achievement) directly to the brain.Maria Lis-Balchin, Aromatherapy Science: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals, page 3, 2006, Pharmaceutical Press, Publications Division of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, .
On the other hand, aromachology is the term The Fragrance Foundation and the Sense of Smell Institute, both based in New York, assigned in 1989 to the concern about the scents and the behavior because of odors. Aromachology is a relatively new science that explores positive feelings induced by odors far from any holistic or healing process. The term covers both natural and synthetic scents. The term aromachology is sometimes mistaken by companies with several other terms such as "essential oils" or "aromatherapy" as marketing phrases. The products shouldn't be labeled other than "aromachology" because they do not offer healing or holistic benefits.
A Journal of Society of Cosmetic Chemists of Japan in 1992 谷田正弘, 菊池晶夫, 上野山重治, 阿部恒之, 山口浩, Tanida, M., ... Yamaguchi, H. (1992). アロマコロジーの化粧品への応用 （1） 香りが反応予期事態の心拍変動パターンに対して及ぼす影響. 日本化粧品技術者会誌, 26(2), 113–119. realized a study to show how humans behave based on the scent they are exposed to. On the study, the effect of odor on cardiac response patterns was investigated on human subjects during a period of two-stimulus paradigm in a simple reaction time task. During the experiment changes in the cardiac response pattern were obvious and heart rate deceleration reflecting the process of anticipation or attention. Olfactory stimulation was provided to the subjects with different aromatic air samples with a 5-second rest period, followed by a 20-second olfactory stimulus period. It was concluded that the odor of lemon, traditionally thought to be stimulative, had the effect of activating anticipation or attention process. The effect of activating the anticipation or attention process was stronger when the odor intensity was more concentrated. On the other hand, the rose odor initially was thought to be sedative, had the effect of suppressing that process.
Broader applications for aromachology are found in industries that introduce scent into products other than cosmetics or perfumes. Aromachology is considered to also encompass scents introduced to home fragrances, textiles, drawer liners and odor reducers for the home environment.
Pleasant aromas cause people to linger longer, a boon to retail stores, museums, spas and . Pleasant smells have been shown to improve productivity, and improve physical performance, with athletes running faster, doing more pushups, and experiencing shorter recovery time after an extensive workout when the room was scented with either peppermint or lemon.Raudenbush, B., Corley, N., & Eppich, W., Pages 156-160. Augmenting athletic performance through the administration of peppermint odor. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 23,(2001)
By blending specific smells, an aromachologist can create a more restful environment and improve health conditions. A study in 1987Kempski, Diotoma von, Page 63, "The Use of Olfactory Stimulants to Improve Air Quality", Journal of the Human Environmental System, Vol 5; No. 2 61-68, 2002 showed that the smells found in nutmeg oil, maize extract, neroli oil, valerian oil, myristici, soelemcin and elemicin reduce stress in humans as well as reducing stress-related high blood pressure. The Mind Lab, an independent consultancy in the UK, studies the odor of a building as part of research on the brain's responses to stimuli.McCooey, Christopher, Scenting Success, Financial Times, Feb 02 2008, retrieved 2009-10-03 Real estate brokers have been recommending to their clients to have smells of freshly baked cookies or the aroma of coffee in the house when it is being presented to potential buyers to create a sense of home. By bottling and releasing appropriate smells to evoke comfort, safety and joy, an owner may be able to accelerate the sale of a house.
Worker productivity can be enhanced by improving the quality of air in a building, not just by removing the negative pollutants, but also by introducing olfactory stimulation through ventilation or air conditioning systems in order to get a mix of ventilated air and odor.
It is necessary to ensure that the dosage is such that the odor is not excessive and should be kept just above the detection level. Also, these olfactory substances are very different from perfume and should instead replicate the smell of natural outdoor air.
Jasmine is used as a sleep aid and the scent of vanilla is useful for those who want to cut the craving for sweets after lunch.Andrews, Linda, The Hidden Force of Fragrance. In: Psychology Today, November, 2007, Retrieved 2024-03-13
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