- Chapter from the book 'The Smell Culture Reader' Jim Drobnick (ed)
More than any other sensation, odors can evoke vivid recall of an entire scene from the past - both the image of the scene but also the enhanced emotional state associated with that image.
Most people can smell 10,000 odors but no 2 people will respond to a particular smell in exactly the same way.
(NB. the most common smell to stimulate memory across all people and cultures is the aroma of baked food.)
Nostalgic memories of childhood vary significantly depending on when people were born - in a study of around 1000 people, odors which evoke feelings of nostalgia were as follows:
People born in the 1920s, 30s, 40s:
flowers, grass, roses, pine, soap, manure, sea air, pine, baby powder, burning leaves, mother's perfume
1960s & 70s:
baby powder, mother's perfume, dad's cologne, chlorine, crayons, Play-Doh, disinfectant, detergent, glue, mothballs, plastic, hair spray, suntain oil, chlorine, scented felt-tip pens
There was an increasing mention of artificial smells...
This is a concern if nostalgia for natural odors experienced in childhood is an important impetus behind our concern to preserve the environment.
It may led to adults who no longer have nostalgic feelings for our natural environment...and who can only experience nostalgic feelings for smells of manufactured chemicals.
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