Reality or imagination: the effects of pleasant and unpleasant odors on mood and stress levels

Studies have indicated that pleasant odors tend to improve mood and unpleasant odors tend to produce negative mood. Also, through mere suggestion, the same effect has been found. That is, pleasant mood suggestion increase positive mood and unpleasant mood suggestion decreases positive mood. Subjects were placed in one of three odor conditions (pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant) paired with pleasant odor suggestion, unpleasant odor suggestion and no odor suggestion. There was significant differences found between all conditions, as measured by mood and stress levels. Subjects in all conditions, were in a better mood before the manipulation was given, and subjects were more stressed after they performed the word/letter task. The decrease in positive mood and increase in stress, after performing the word/letter task, can be attributed to subjects failing to reach their predicted goals.