CALM YOURSELF: THE AROMATIC REGULATION OF THE PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY OF MOOD Research sponsored by Adam S. Mussell, Dr. Jeannette M. Haviland-Jones, & Dr. John M. Ackroff The Human Emotions Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA Supported by International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., Union Beach, NJ, USA Abstract This study examined the effects of three mildly stressful, context-independent animations while in the presence of a relaxing (Powder), energizing (Citrus), or control (the solvent used for the other two) odor. Thirty-six participants (18 men and 18 women) watched every animation, representing the emotions fear, happy, and sad. A baseline preceded each animation and followed the final animation. Galvanic skin response (GSR) and respiration rate were recorded from the start of the first baseline. Effectiveness of the animations was measured by the Differential Emotion Scale (DES). Respiration and SCL dropped significantly at the beginning of the baseline compared to the final 60 seconds of the fear animation. The Citrus odor caused a significant increase in respiration across the study when compared to the control odor. The emotional validity of the fear and sad animations was confirmed by the DES self-report data. Recent research has suggested a strong link between olfactory stimulation and certain autonomic responses. It is also reasonable to believe that certain odors can regulate mood when application precedes a stressful experience. Previous research has shown that certain contextual stimuli (i.e. films, pictures, perception) can cause varying affects on a person's cardiovascular response, especially in conditions of stress. These stressful tasks, with respect to the intensity of emotion, are accompanied by an increase in heart rate, perspiration, blood vessel constriction and several other sympathetic responses (Vrana et al., 2002). A preferred method for emotion elicitation has been the presentation of emotionally charged film clips or Hollywood movies. Gross and Levenson (1995) used several movies (e.g. Silence of the Lambs, When Harry Met Sally) to elicit anger, disgust, fear, sadness and several other emotions. The inherent problem with using unpleasant film clips and, especially, Hollywood movies, is the context-dependent nature of the stimulus and any previous experience the participant has had with the stimulus. The existence of the billion dollar perfume industry is reason to believe certain odors have the ability to regulate mood and certain measures of psychophysiology. Specific responses to odor were found by Alaoui-Ismaili et al. (1997) by monitoring several autonomic measures, including electrodermal responses, respiratory frequency, and heart rate, in participants exposed to odors of varying pleasantness. Bensafi et al. (2002) found pleasant odors were correlated with heart rate variations and odors rated as highly arousing showed a correlation with skin conductance variations. Palomba et al. (2000) first used a sine wave oscillating at 8 cycles per minute as a baseline with overall success. Piferi et al. (2000) found a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure when participants viewed a video compared to sitting still. Method A total of 36 Rutgers University students (18 female, 18 male) volunteered to participate in this study. Participants were non-smokers and were asked to refrain from perfume, cologne or deodorant use until after the study. Any participant emanating a distinct, synthetic odor or in poor health was turned away or asked to reschedule. Three animations, each representing a specific emotion (fear, happy and sad) were used in this study, developed by the Human Emotions Lab. These context-independent animations were six minutes in length and consist of a series of colored spheres that move toward or away from the participant. Sounds accompany the spheres and match the overall emotional content of the individual films. To measure participants’ mood and gauge the effectiveness of the animations the Differential Emotion Scale (DES; Izard, Dougherty, Bloxom, & Kotsch, 1974) was employed. Three distinct synthetic odors were used in this study, provided and pre-tested by International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. One fragrance, Powder, was diluted to 10% in DEP and used for its relaxing qualities. The other fragrance, Citrus, was diluted to 2.5% in DEP and used for its energizing qualities. The control fragrance was 100% DEP with hedonics rated as neutral, with no discernible odor. Fragrance necklaces were developed by The Human Emotions Lab in order to create the most uniform odor conditions. 1.3 mL of fragrance was placed on a sterile gauze pad and placed in a plastic pouch, attached to a length of string. IFF also provided a BIOPAC, Inc. MP100 physiological recording system to measure galvanic skin response and respiration rate. Two, reusable silicon GSR electrodes were placed on the left palm of a participant. A respiration transducer cuff, manufactured by BIOPAC, was placed around the participant’s chest. All data acquisition and analysis was performed by the BIOPAC’s supplied software, Acqknowledge Presentation of the animations was random and consisted of each six minute emotion, preceded by a baseline and the final animation was also followed by a baseline. The baseline was a sine wave which oscillated at 8 cycles per minute. Participants could match their breathing to this baseline or meditate, whichever worked best. Results Animations, baselines and DES data were analyzed by order and by animation. GSR and respiration data were analyzed in 60 second epochs at the beginning and end of each event (animation or baseline). The 60 seconds before and after each transition were also analyzed. A split-plot factorial design was utilized as this was a mixed design with each participant experiencing one random odor while viewing all animations in a random order. The one within-participants variable was the three animations and four baselines, and the two between-participants variables were odor and gender. A four-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to calculate the relationships among odor, gender, emotion and animation order. Tukey’s HSD tests were conducted to evaluate pairwise differences among the means.  On the DES, the happy animation was rated significantly more happy than sad, t(33) = 8.93, p <.01, or fear, t(33) = 7.62, p <.01.  For the interest/excitement rating, sad was different from both happy, t(33) = 4.00, p <.05, and fear, t(33) = 4.33, p <.05.  A significant main odor effect, F(2, 30) = 3.35, p <.05 revealed that all emotion ratings for the Citrus odor condition to be higher than those for the control condition, t(30) = 3.56, p <.05.  By order, SCL, t(150) = 7.97, p <.01, and respiration, t(150) = 4.59, p <.05, showed distinct returns to baseline following the first animation only.  By video, respiration showed a distinct return to baseline after the happy, t(150) = 4.11, p <.05, and fear, t(150) = 4.80, p <.05, animations.  By video, respiration difference scores for transitions were robust for the happy, t(150) = 4.47, p <.05, and fear animation, t(150) = 6.66, p <.01. This, again, demonstrates a return to baseline occurred for the happy and fear animations.  The Citrus odor increased respiration compared to DEP, t(30) = 3.62, p <.05, across all animations. Discussion The happy and fear animations were both rated as expected. This paired with a change in respiration, and at times SCL, show these animations are eliciting an emotional and physiological response. The happy response, which was less than the fear response, was most likely due to interest at the start of the animation and its engaging nature throughout. The fear response was most likely tied to the sympathetic fear response. Citrus was tied to higher respiration and higher mood ratings compared to the control odor, across all animations. This may mean the odor is both a mood and physiological energizer. Gaudios (2006) found an increase in respiration rate at the onset of the happy and fear animations. This, along with the negative scores at the onset of the following baselines marks a return to baseline and validated the calming nature of the sine wave. While no return to baseline was found for SCL during the first 60 seconds, visual inspection of the data show that the return did occur. This suggests a greater latency in SCL. It appears that happy and fear are context- independent stimuli eliciting the appropriate emotional response. The sad animation’s effect must be further explored as this is a more complex emotion, functioning along several different dimensions. An extension of the study with different odors, i.e. a different relaxing odor, could yield greater differentiation from Citrus. Note: Calm Yourself was the joint project of myself and another undergraduate, Fred Gaudios. The return to baseline must be considered in the context of his data, which showed sympathetic response to the onset of the fear and happy animations. 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