Introduction

Research has provided evidence for the transfer of single emotions including anger, anxiety and happiness through olfactory chemosignals, yet no work has examined the role of odour function in the aggregation of more complex emotional states or in the emotional contagion process. The aim of the present study was to ascertain whether an individual’s tendency to experience emotional aggregation was affected by objective measures of their olfactory function and subjective self-assessments of the importance of their own olfactory system.

Methods

In this study (N = 70), participant pairs were first assessed individually for olfactory threshold and odour identification, then completed the Importance of Olfaction Questionnaire. Each pair subsequently took part in two collaborative tasks. Individual emotion measures were taken before, during and after the completion of the two tasks.

Results

Multilevel structural equation modelling revealed that individuals’ within-dyad positive emotional agreement scores were associated with both their ‘importance of olfaction’ scores and their olfactory function. A significant association was also found between olfactory performance and the Importance of Olfaction scores.

Conclusions

These results provide evidence that the subjective importance an individual assigns to their sense of smell can predict their susceptibility to experience emotional aggregation during active, collaborative tasks.

Implications

The findings suggest that individuals’ tendency and capability to detect and respond to emotional chemosignals, a process required for olfactory-facilitated emotional contagion, may be affected by individual differences in olfactory function and subjective attitudes toward olfaction.

中文翻译：

---

嗅觉功能与情绪传染的关系

介绍

研究提供了通过嗅觉化学信号传递单一情绪（包括愤怒、焦虑和快乐）的证据，但没有研究检查气味功能在更复杂的情绪状态聚合或情绪传染过程中的作用。本研究的目的是确定个人体验情绪聚集的倾向是否受其嗅觉功能的客观测量和对其自身嗅觉系统重要性的主观自我评估的影响。

方法

在这项研究 ( N  = 70) 中，首先对参与者对的嗅觉阈值和气味识别进行单独评估，然后完成嗅觉重要性问卷。每一对随后都参与了两项协作任务。在完成两项任务之前、期间和之后分别采取了个体情绪测量。

结果

多层次结构方程模型显示，个体的内部积极情绪一致性分数与他们的“嗅觉重要性”分数和他们的嗅觉功能有关。还发现嗅觉表现和嗅觉重要性评分之间存在显着关联。

结论

这些结果提供的证据表明，个人赋予其嗅觉的主观重要性可以预测他们在主动、协作的任务中体验情绪聚合的易感性。

影响

研究结果表明，个体检测和响应情绪化学信号的倾向和能力（嗅觉促进情绪传染所需的过程）可能受到个体嗅觉功能差异和对嗅觉的主观态度的影响。