As all of us have probably experienced at some point, scent has a powerful influence on our emotions and memories. The ability of scent to trigger memories and emotions is well known, and has been studied extensively by scientists and researchers. Because this fascinating relationship between our senses inspires the scents we create here at Aglynt, we thought we’d chat about it a bit more here.
How Scent and Memory are Linked
The sense of smell is directly connected to the brain's limbic system, which is responsible for processing emotions and memories. When we smell a particular scent, it triggers a response in the limbic system, which can cause us to recall past experiences, emotions, and memories associated with that particular scent. This is why certain scents can evoke strong emotional responses and bring back memories of past events, people, and places. Have you ever picked up on a random whiff of something that instantly brought to mind a person or experience you hadn’t thought of in years? That’s your limbic system at work! And it’s not just pleasant scents that can trigger these memories. Off-putting scents can do the same thing. With the limbic system, we have to take the good along with the bad, it seems!
The Role of Scent in Memory Formation
The relationship between scent and memory goes beyond past recollections. Studies have shown that scent plays a significant role in memory formation. When we experience a new scent, our brain associates it with the event, person, or place we are experiencing at that moment. This association can then be triggered later by the same scent, bringing back memories of that specific event or place. This is why certain scents can transport us back in time and bring back memories we may have stuffed into the dusty corners of our mind.
How Scent can Influence Our Emotions
Scent can also influence our emotions in powerful ways. Certain scents are known to have calming or uplifting effects, while others can trigger feelings of nostalgia or sadness. The emotional responses triggered by scent can be especially powerful when they are associated with memories of significant events or people in our lives. In large part, the extent to which a particular scent triggers emotion is experiential and depends on each person’s unique interaction with that scent. Those of us who have had the unfortunate experience of being ill shortly after eating or drinking a particular food or drink can likely attest to developing a distinctly negative opinion of the scent associated with what we consumed. That’s putting it nicely!
The Applications of Scent and Memory
The link between scent and memory has many practical applications. For example, businesses can use scent to create a positive emotional association with their brand, or to create a calming or uplifting environment in their stores. Disney does this masterfully. When you walk down Main Street USA or head off on a Soarin’ adventure, you’re experiencing the benefits of very carefully structured aromas that are intended to be evocative of your experience. So while yes, waffle cones and ice cream do smell fantastic naturally, when you walk by the ice cream shop on Main Street USA, you’re actually smelling a scent piped through a diffusion system that’s been developed to trigger your desire for a frozen, creamy treat. Even the popcorn carts found throughout the parks diffuse scent to attract passers by.
Many high end hotels do this as well and have scents developed for use throughout their properties. Often, these scents are tweaked to correspond to the geographic location of the hotel, thus further creating associations between your experience at the hotel and your experience in the area overall. Appealing scents go hand in hand with pleasant experiences, so these positive associations with the hotel property begin from the moment you step foot in the lobby.
Interestingly, scent can also be used to enhance the effectiveness of therapies for mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, by triggering positive memories and emotions. We’re going to explore this in much more depth in a future blog post.
The Future of Scent and Memory Research
As our understanding of the link between scent and memory grows, there is a growing interest in the potential applications of scent in various fields, including healthcare, marketing, and education. Scientists and researchers are exploring new ways to use scent to trigger positive emotional responses and memories, and to enhance our overall well-being and quality of life. There’s even evidence that something as simple as, for example, using a scented lip balm while studying for an exam can improve performance on the exam itself if you use the same lip balm during the test!
How to apply this powerful association in your own space
You’ve heard about signature scents within the context of perfumes and/or colognes, right? You can do the same for your home! Between room mists and candles, it’s easy to adopt a signature scent for your home just as luxury hotels do. We love the idea of mixing and matching complementary fragrances to create a statement scent that’s unique to your space.
For example, in our home, we love burning our Knight Beat candle and using our soon to be released Seagrape room mist together - the spicy woodiness of Knight Beat really compliments and grounds the fresh woodiness of Seagrape. It’s an unexpected combination, but it works! We’ve had so many people tell us they love the way our home smells and comment that they associate that scent with us. It’s a fun and interesting way to express yourself beyond personal fragrance. We also put a seasonal twist on our signature home fragrance by incorporating traditionally festive scents - like the baking spice inspired Spiced Buns and fall leaves during autumn or Present’s pine and cypress during the holidays - into our rotation precisely because those well known notes are so closely associated with memories of particular holidays and/or seasons. It just adds an element of immersion that really makes the spirit of the season come alive for us.
The fascinating power of scent to trigger emotions and memories is well established. Understanding this link can in turn help us better understand how we can use scent to enhance our own experiences and well-being. We hope this inspires you to create your very own signature scent for your space and create new scent memories!