At the University of Toulouse, two groups of people, aged 18 to 70, are invited to think about a new model of electric toothbrush. The first is installed in a neutral room: work tables, questionnaire, everyone is working in their corner. In the next room, the researchers diffuse a discreet smell of menthol. Result: 31% more ideas for the “scented” group! “Odors have an influence on behavior and feelings,” explains Julien Grobert, lecturer in olfactory marketing at Toulouse School of Management. We wanted to show that they also had an influence on the creativity and the quality of the ideas generated.” Successful bet !
One of the lessons of this study, a world first, is that perfume is all the more effective on creativity if its fragrance is related to the subject treated. “A smell of monoi will, for example, have a positive effect in stimulating reflection on travel, while it will be better to choose a scent of new leather to brainstorm about cars,” says the researcher.
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Why and how? “The hypothesis is that the emotions generated by odors short-circuit rational thought,” says Julien Grobert. This may explain out-of-the-box thinking and increased brain productivity. The 50 million receptors in the nasal mucosa are, in fact, directly linked to the limbic system, which houses the center of emotions. “Olfaction is both the most powerful sensation in humans and the most neglected in our culture,” emphasizes the researcher. Employees use this power spontaneously to de-stress or concentrate, by placing scent diffusers or burning incense. But we still have a lot to discover to understand how scents inspire creativity.” How about brainstorming to get up to speed?
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