The things we smell are meaningful. They move us, sometimes closer, sometimes away, from things. We’re drawn to the smell of warm blueberry muffins baking in grandma’s kitchen. We’re offended by the smell of leftover tuna in our fridge. The former brings us in to a table while the latter encourages us to clean our fridge. No matter where a scent derives, it likely has some effect on us. This concept is why the fragrance industry is booming. People take great pride in how they smell. We understand that scent influences not only our mood, but the moods of those who surround us. Whether you’re trying to close a business deal, on a first date, or at a high school reunion; how you smell will carve out a memory for later. And that’s not just for you, but for those around you.
Have you ever felt a sense of nostalgia but were at a loss for explaining why? It could very well have been a particular fragrance rousing up an archived memory. Because scents influence our moods, they also attach to them. And months, years, even decades later, that same scent can lend itself to a bit of nostalgia, or a full on memory.
Let’s explore the connection between scent and memory.