In a preliminary study, passersby in a large shopping mall were significantly more likely to help a same-sex accomplice (by retrieving a dropped pen or providing change for a doUar) when these helping opportunities took place in the presence of pleasant ambient odors (e.g., baking cookies, roasting coffee) than in the absence of such odors. Participants also reported significantly higher levels of positive affect in the presence of pleasant odors. In a second study, the order in which passersby were exposed to a helping opportunity and rated their current mood was systematically varied. &sults similar to those of the first study were obtained; order of task had no effect on either mood or helping, but helping was significantly greater in the presence of pleasant fragrances than in their absence. In addition, there was some evidence that fragrance-induced increments in helping were mediated by increments in positive affect.
The Sweet Smell of … Helping: Effects of Pleasant Ambient Fragrance on Prosocial Behavior in Shopping Malls
by Robert A. Baron
http://web.natur.cuni.cz/~houdek3/papers/Baron%201997.pdf
(sk)
ショッピング・モールで良い匂いがしていると、人は優しくなり、進んでまわりの人たちを助けるようになる。
コーヒーの香りやパンの匂いが漂っていると、落としたペンを拾ってあげたり両替を快く引き受けたりするという。
助けてもらいたければ、良い匂いを漂わせること。間違っても加齢臭などを漂わせないことだ。
そんなことを考えていたら、なぜかコーヒー・ルンバのことを思い出した。
良い香り、良い匂い。コーヒーの香りは確かに良いし、パンの匂いも嬉しい。