About this Research Topic
This research topic is cross-listed in the Frontiers in Psychology section Emotion Science.
In people’s minds, smells, flavors and affective phenomena are perceived as closely linked. But is it genuinely the case? The scientific study of this question is a rapidly expanding field, both in healthy and in clinical populations. Although still under-studied in comparison to other sensory modalities, chemical senses have proven to bring unique knowledge in the understanding of affective phenomena.
In this context, this Research Topic is aimed to offer a snapshot of the present knowledge and questions raised in this field. Suggested topics would include, but not be limited to: affects elicited by odors and/or flavors in different individuals, contexts or cultures; emotional potency of odors in guiding human behavior and cognition (e.g. attention, memory formation, decisions and choices, withdrawal and approach behavior); affects communicated by body odors; affect regulation disorders and chemosensory perception. Studies on the biological underpinnings of these effects are also very welcome. We are open to empirical work (behavioral and neuroscientific) conforming to rigorous methodological and statistical standards, reviews, opinion articles, and commentaries that help to advance understanding of the role played by chemical senses in affective phenomena.
We welcome work presenting negative results (i.e. supporting the null hypothesis) but expect a sound scientific rationale and a sound methodological approach.
In people’s minds, smells, flavors and affective phenomena are perceived as closely linked. But is it genuinely the case? The scientific study of this question is a rapidly expanding field, both in healthy and in clinical populations. Although still under-studied in comparison to other sensory modalities, chemical senses have proven to bring unique knowledge in the understanding of affective phenomena.
In this context, this Research Topic is aimed to offer a snapshot of the present knowledge and questions raised in this field. Suggested topics would include, but not be limited to: affects elicited by odors and/or flavors in different individuals, contexts or cultures; emotional potency of odors in guiding human behavior and cognition (e.g. attention, memory formation, decisions and choices, withdrawal and approach behavior); affects communicated by body odors; affect regulation disorders and chemosensory perception. Studies on the biological underpinnings of these effects are also very welcome. We are open to empirical work (behavioral and neuroscientific) conforming to rigorous methodological and statistical standards, reviews, opinion articles, and commentaries that help to advance understanding of the role played by chemical senses in affective phenomena.
We welcome work presenting negative results (i.e. supporting the null hypothesis) but expect a sound scientific rationale and a sound methodological approach.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
