Abstract
This experiment was aimed to investigate the effect of description about odor on perception of the odor. In this experiment, unfamiliar odor stimulus (anethol) was presented with a description about the odor to participants. Half of the participants received a positive description about odor, and the other half received a negative description about the odor. As a positive description, the experimenter sharpened a positive aspect of the odor description, such as used as spice and used in aromatherapy. On the other hand, as a negative description, the experimenter sharpened a negative aspect of the odor description, such as used as pesticide and had a harmful for organisms. Then participants smelled anethol for 20 minutes, and were asked to evaluate intensity for the odor using an apparatus which had real time recorder. There were no significant differences in averaged intensity ratings in every 5 minutes between the groups. However, there were differences among intensity curves which were made on real-time recordings of intensity ratings. Significant differences in hedonic ratings were found between the groups. Participants in the positive group rated the odor as more pleasant than those in the negative group.
