Psychology of Fragrance Use: Perception of Individual Odor and Perfume Blends Reveals a Mechanism for Idiosyncratic Effects on Fragrance Choice

Cross-culturally, fragrances are used to modulate body odor, but the psychology of fragrance choice has been largely overlooked. The prevalent view is that fragrances mask an individual's body odor and improve its pleasantness. In two experiments, we found positive effects of perfume on body odor perception. Importantly, however, this was modulated by significant interactions with individual odor donors. Fragrances thus appear to interact with body odor, creating an individually-specific odor mixture. In a third experiment, the odor mixture of an individual's body odor and their preferred perfume was perceived as more pleasant than a blend of the same body odor with a randomly-allocated perfume, even when there was no difference in pleasantness between the perfumes. This indicates that fragrance use extends beyond simple masking effects and that people choose perfumes that interact well with their own odor. Our results provide an explanation for the highly individual nature of perfume choice

Social Aspects of Odour Identity

Liberal Arts and Humanities - Social Sciences ModuleStudium humanitní vzdělanosti - Společenskovědní modulFaculty of HumanitiesFakulta humanitních studi

Arguments and bases of organizations defending animal rights - can we find rapprochement with the protection of nature?

In today's society prevails superior attitude to animals that are seen as mere resources, and this work seeks to highlight this issue . The theoretical part shows where this attitude has its roots and then moves into the context of environmental ethics, while trying to show the views that contradict this position. Practical part is looking for arguments and basis of organizations defending the rights of animals and their possible rapprochement with the protection of nature. The chosen method is to analyze the websites of selected organizations defending the rights of animals, focusing on what the organization published on their websitet and what is missing. The main finding is that the central idea of animal rights organizations is the intrinsic value of animals as beings with a right to a dignified life and with the right to satisfy their natural needs. Protection of the nature on the contrary often prefers to the value of each individual animal the value of nature as a whole. Possible rapprochement with the protection of nature can then be found mainly in areas where there is a distortion of values as both protectino of animals and protection of nature. Key words: animal liberation, animal rights, intrinsic value, protection of animals, protection of nature, organizations defending animal right

Arguments and bases of organizations defending animal rights - can we find rapprochement with the protection of nature?

V dnešní společnosti převažuje nadřazený postoj ke zvířatům, která jsou chápána jako pouhé zdroje, a tato práce se snaží na tuto problematiku upozornit. Teoretická část práce ukazuje, kde má tento postoj své kořeny a poté se pohybuje v kontextu environmentální etiky, přičemž se snaží ukázat názory, které tento postoj popírají. Praktická část práce hledá argumentace a východiska organizací hájících práva zvířat a jejich možné sblížení s ochranou přírody. Zvolenou metodou je analýza webových stránek vybraných organizací hájících práva zvířat, zaměřená na to, co na těchto stránkách organizace zveřejňují a co naopak na jednotlivých stránkách chybí. Hlavním zjištěním je, že ústřední myšlenkou organizací hájících práva zvířat je vnitřní hodnota zvířete jako bytosti s právem na důstojný život a s právem na uspokojování svých přirozených potřeb. Ochrana přírody naopak mnohdy upřednostňuje před hodnotou každého jednotlivého zvířete hodnotu přírody jako celku. Možné sblížení s ochranou přírody lze pak najít zejména v oblastech, kde dochází k narušování hodnot jak ochránců zvířat, tak ochránců přírody. Klíčová slova: osvobození zvířat, práva zvířat, vnitřní/vrozená hodnota, ochrana zvířat, ochrana přírody, organizace na ochranu zvířatIn today's society prevails superior attitude to animals that are seen as mere resources, and this work seeks to highlight this issue . The theoretical part shows where this attitude has its roots and then moves into the context of environmental ethics, while trying to show the views that contradict this position. Practical part is looking for arguments and basis of organizations defending the rights of animals and their possible rapprochement with the protection of nature. The chosen method is to analyze the websites of selected organizations defending the rights of animals, focusing on what the organization published on their websitet and what is missing. The main finding is that the central idea of animal rights organizations is the intrinsic value of animals as beings with a right to a dignified life and with the right to satisfy their natural needs. Protection of the nature on the contrary often prefers to the value of each individual animal the value of nature as a whole. Possible rapprochement with the protection of nature can then be found mainly in areas where there is a distortion of values as both protectino of animals and protection of nature. Key words: animal liberation, animal rights, intrinsic value, protection of animals, protection of nature, organizations defending animal rightsKatedra sociální a kulturní ekologieDepartment of Social and Cultural EcologyFaculty of HumanitiesFakulta humanitních studi

Mean values, standard errors of the mean (SEM) and standard deviations (SD) for ratings of attractiveness, pleasantness and intensity of the axillary body odor (Non-perfumed) and perfume-body odor blend (Perfumed) in Study 1 and 2.

<p>In Study 3 values are for perfume-body odor blend when using assigned and own perfume.</p

Results of ANOVA models for odor attractiveness, pleasantness and intensity in Study 1, 2 and 3.

<p>Table shows values of test statistics (F), significance levels (p) and variance explained (η²) for factor donors identity (ID), odor condition (Perfume) and their interaction.</p

Ratings of perfumed and non-perfumed body odors in Study 2.

<p>Z-scored mean ratings (± SEM) of attractiveness, pleasantness and intensity in individual odor donors and for all donors together in non-perfume (empty bars) and perfume (shaded bars) conditions.</p

Ratings of own and assigned perfume-body odor blends in Study 3.

<p>Z-scored mean ratings (± SEM) of attractiveness, pleasantness and intensity of perfume-body odor blends in individual odor donors and for all donors together. Empty bars signify own and shaded bars assigned perfume-body odor blends.</p

Ratings of own and assigned pure perfumes in Study 3.

<p>Z-scored mean ratings (± SEM) of pleasantness and intensity. Empty bars signify own and shaded bars assigned perfume.</p

Ratings of perfumed and non-perfumed body odors in Study 1.

<p>Z-scored mean ratings (± SEM) of attractiveness, pleasantness and intensity in individual odor donors and for all donors together in non-perfume (empty bars) and perfume (shaded bars) conditions.</p