PERFUMERY The psychology and biology of fragrance PERFUMERY The psychology and biology of fragrance Edited by Steve Van Toller and George H. Dodd LONDON NEW YORK CHAPMAN AND HALL First published in 1988 by Chapman and Hall Ltd 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Published in the USA by Chapman and Hall 29 West 35th Street, New York NY 10001 © 1988, Chapman and Hall Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1988 Typeset in 11/12 pt Garamond by Photoprint University Press, Cambridge ISBN-13: 978-94-010-7040-9 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-009-1215-1 DOl: 10.1007/978-94-009-1215-1 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted, or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Perfumery, the psychology and biology of fragrance. 1. Perfumes 1. Van Toller, S., 1932- II. Dodd, G.H., 1942- 391'.63 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Perfumery : the psychology and biology of fragrance 1 edited by S. Van Toller and G. H. Dodd. p. cm. Includes index. 1. Perfumes-Psychological aspects. 2. Smell. 3. Neuropsychology. 1. Van Toller, S. (Steve), 1932- II. Dodd, G. H. TP983.P36 1988 668'. 54'OI9-dc19 88-4264 CIP Contents Colour plates appear between pages 144-145 Cont~i bu tors x Preface Xll Acknowledgements XVI Foreword: Abnormalities of smell XVll E. Douek PART I THE BIOLOGICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF SCENTS 1 Human odour culture: a zoological perspective 3 D. M. Stoddart 1.1 Introduction 3 1.2 Man: the scented ape 4 1.3 Ecological and behavioural background to the evolution of modern man 5 1.4 Incense and perfume 12 1.5 The nose and emotion 15 1.6 Conclusion 16 2 The molecular dimension in perfumery 19 G. H. Dodd 2.1 Molecules and perfumes 19 2.2 Perfumery and the psychology of art 19 2.3 Perfumes and sensory processing 20 2.4 Perfumery and allied crafts 22 2.5 Perfume molecules 23 2.6 Perfume oils and aromatherapy 27 2.7 Synthetic odorants and the psychological frontiers of perfumery 30 2.8 Receptor events in perfumery 38 2.9 Conclusion 45 VI CONTENTS 3 The significance of odorous steroids in axillary odour 47 D. B. Gower, A. Nixon and A. 1. Mallet 3.1 Introduction 47 3.2 The human axilla 47 3.3 The apocrine glands 49 3.4 Composition of apocrine secretions 50 3.5 Microbiology of the axilla and its relationship to axillary odour 5 1 3.6 Odorous steroids present in apocrine sweat 54 3.7 Formation of odorous substances in the human axilla 60 3.8 Odour of 16-androstenes: psychology and significance 63 3.9 Sensitivity to musk odours 67 3. 10 Psychological experiments using odorous steroids 68 3. 11 Pheromonal aspects of odorous 16-androstenes in the pig 72 3. 12 Mechanisms of perception of odorous steroids 73 3.13 Conclusion: perspectives for future studies 75 PART II DEVELOPMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF FRAGRANCE 4 The acquisition of odour hedonics 79 T. Engen 4.1 Introduction 79 4.2 Physiological and behavioural responses of prelingual infants 80 4.3 Related animal research 83 4.4 Postlingual children 84 4.5 Children's vocabulary for hedonic properties 89 4.6 Conclusion 90 5 Perfume as a tactic of impression management in social and organizational settings 91 R. A. Baron 5. 1 Introduction 91 5.2 The impact of perfumes on first impressions 93 5.3 The impact of perfume during employment interviews 96 5.4 The 'sweet smell of success'? Sex of applicant and interviewer and perfume as determinants of ratings in simulated interviews 96 5.5 'Too much of a good thing'? Effects of scent and non-verbal cues on evaluations of job applicants 99 5.6 General discussion 103 CONTENTS VII PART III ODOUR PERCEPTION AND THE LANGUAGE OF THE BRAIN 6 Contingent negative variation (CNV) and the psychological effects of odour 107 S. Torii, H. Fukuda, H. Kanemoto, R. Miyanchi, Y. Hamauzu and M. Kawasaki 6.1 Introduction 107 6.2 The experiments 108 6.3 CNV amplitudes at different sites on the scalp 110 6.4 Effects of odours on CNV 112 6.5 Conclusion 118 7 Emotion and the brain 121 S. Van Toller 7.1 Introduction: Homo sapiens, the microsomatic smeller 121 7.2 The sense of smell 123 7.3 Emotion 124 7.4 The biosocial theory of emotion 127 7.5 Emotion and olfaction 130 7.6 Psychophysiology 132 7.7 Brain-evoked potentials 134 7.8 Brain electrical activity mapping 139 7.9 Conclusion 140 PART IV FRAGRANCE THERAPIES 8 Anxiety reduction using fragrances 147 J. R. King 8.1 Introduction 147 8.2 Stress: the vicious circle 148 8.3 Relaxation training 149 8.4 Problems with traditional relaxation techniques 152 8.5 Enhanced relaxation therapy: key features 152 8.6 Action of fragrance: a closer look 153 8.7 Odours and disease 156 8.8 Use of fragrance alone 157 8.9 Construction of the fragrance 158 8.JO Further refinements 161 8.11 Role of fragrance in enhanced relaxation: verification 162 8.12 Applications of enhanced relaxation therapy 164 8.13 Wider applicability 165 VIII CONTENTS 9 Essential oils as psychotherapeutic agents 167 R. Tisserand 9. 1 Historical background 167 9.2 Twentieth-century aromatherapy 169 9.3 Effects of essential oils on emotional states 175 9.4 Concepts of mood evocation with essential oils 177 9. 5 Conclusion 180 PART V THE CONSUMER AND PERFUME 10 The psychology of fragrance selection 185 J. Mensing and C. Beck 10. 1 Is selection of a perfume a matter of chance? 185 10.2 The subjective experience 191 10.3 The desired life-style 191 10.4 Sociobiographical data and climatic factors 192 10.5 The Colour-Rosette Test 193 10.6 Trends in perfumery from a sociological point of view 195 10.7 A few basics about trends 195 10.8 Characteristic traits of a trend 196 10.9 Life cycles of aesthetic trends 197 10.10 Change of self-perception: the main perfume trends in recent years 199 10.11 The new world of fantasy and what it offers 200 10.12 The 'fun-type' 201 10.13 Magic fantasy: the view into the past 202 11 Perfume, people, perceptions and products 205 J. Byrne-Quinn 11. 1 Introduction 205 11.2 Smell marks people 205 11.3 Smell marks brands 207 11.4 People do differ 208 11. 5 Perception differences 211 11.6 Difficulty of explaining responses to perfume 214 11.7 Conclusion 215 12 Selling perfume: a technique or an art? 217 S. Le Norcy 12.1 Introduction 217 12.2 Selling a perfume 218 CONTENTS IX 12.3 Training a perfume sales assistant 220 12.4 The customer's attitude 223 12.5 Conclusion 225 13 Fragrance education and the psychology of smell 227 A. Green 13. 1 Introduction 227 13.2 The Fragrance Foundation 227 13.3 Fragrance education 228 13.4 Future developments in the fragrance field 230 13. 5 Conclusion 232 References 235 Author Index 257 Subject Index 263 Contributors R.A.BARON T. ENGEN Department of Psychology, Department of Psychology, Purdue University, Brown University, West Lafayette, Providence, Indiana 47907, Rhode Island 02912, USA USA C. BECK H. FUKUDA Salzstrasse 4, Department of Physiology, 7800 Freiburg, Toho University School of Medicine, FRG Tokyo 143, Japan J. BYRNE-QUINN D. B. GOWER Quest International, Division of Biochemistry, Ashford, UMDS (Guy's Hospital), Kent TN24 OL T, London SE1 9RT, UK UK G.H.DODD A. GREEN Craft Perfumes and Executive Director, Department of Chemistry, Fragrance Foundation, Warwick Olfaction Research Group, 142 East 30th Street, University of Warwick, New York, Coventry CV4 7 AL, NY 10016, UK USA E. DOUEK Y.HAMAUZU ENT Department, Central Research Laboratory, Guy's Hospital, Takasago International Corporation, London SE 1 9RT, Tokyo 144, UK Japan CONTRIBUTORS Xl H.KANEMOTO R. MIYANCHI Department of Physiology, Department of Psychology, Toho University School of Medicine, Waseda University, Tokyo 143, Tokyo 162, Japan Japan A. NIXON M. KAWASAKI Division of Biochemistry, Central Research Laboratory, UMDS (Guy's Hospital), Takasago International Corporation, London SE1 9RT, Tokyo 144, UK Japan D. M. STODDART J. R. KING Department of Zoology, Consultant Psychiatrist, Box 252C, Smallwood Day Hospital, GPO Hobart, Church Green West, Tasmania, Redditch, Australia 7001 W orcestershire B97 4DJ , UK S. TORII Toho University School of Medicine, S. LE NORCY 5-21-16, Nina Ricci Parfums, Omori-Nishi, 17 Rue Fran~ois Ier, Ota-ku, Paris 75008, Tokyo, France Japan R. TISSERAND A. 1. MALLET The Tisserand Aromatherapy Institute, Institute of Dermatology, 3 Shirley Street, UMDS (Sr. Thomas's Hospital), Hove, London SE1 7EH, East Sussex BN3 3WJ UK s. VAN TOLLER J. MENSING Department of Psychology, Sociologisches Institut, Warwick Olfaction Research Group, Albert-Ludwig-Universitat, University of Warwick, 7800 Freiburg, Coventry CV4 7AL, FRG UK Pre/ace THE SENSE OF SMELL The nose is normally mistakenly assumed to be the organ of smell reception. It is not. The primary function of the nose is to regulate the temperature and humidity of inspired air, thereby protecting the delicate linings of the lungs. This is achieved by the breathed air passing through narrow passageways formed by three nasal turbinates in each nostril. The turbinates are covered by spongy vascular cells which can expand or contract to open or close the nasal pathways.