Sex Differences in Relation to Affect and Social Versus Non-Social Stress on Olfactory Functioning

Title

Sex Differences in Relation to Affect and Social Versus Non-Social Stress on Olfactory Functioning

Comments

Faculty: Dr. Julie Walsh-Messinger (Psychology)

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Abstract

Olfaction, or the sense of smell, is highly related to various psychological processes. There are sex differences in olfactory functioning: females are more sensitive to odorants (Doty & Cameron, 2009), better at labeling odors (Larsson et al., 2004), and rate odors as more unpleasant and intense compared to males (Doty & Cameron, 2009).

Findings have shown emotional state, especially negative states, affects human odor perception (Chen & Dalton, 2005, Pollatos et al., 2007; Zald & Parado, 1997) and odor also influences affective state ((Walla & Deecke, 2010; Royet, Plailly, Delon- Martin, Kareken, & Segebarth, 2003).

Social stress has been shown to induce distress as well as decrease olfactory functioning (Hoenen et al., 2017).

There are also differences in how males and females react to stress: males are more distressed from intrapersonal stress, while females are more distressed from interpersonal stress (Kogler, Gur, & Derntl, 2015; Hoenen, Wolf & Pause, 2017).

To date, no studies have compared the effects of social stress and non-social stress and their association with negative affect and olfactory functioning.

Publication Date

11-21-2019

Keywords

student scholarship

Disciplines

Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Social Work | Sociology

Sex Differences in Relation to Affect and Social Versus Non-Social Stress on Olfactory Functioning

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