16:15 - 18:15
Mon-S2
Room: Waalsprong 3
Chair/s:
Arnaud Leleu, Valentina Parma
Chemical communication of positive emotions in humans
Mon-S2-005
Presented by: Camille Ferdenzi
Camille Ferdenzi 1, Stephane Richard 1, Moustafa Bensafi 1, Olivia Carlos 2, Aline Robert-Hazotte 2, Benedicte Race 2
1 Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, 2 Shiseido Group EMEA, Paris, France
Humans can communicate their emotions to others via volatile emissions from their bodies. There is now solid evidence for human chemical communication of fear, stress and anxiety. Positive emotions, however, have been more rarely studied. Here, a series of studies will be presented, examining the autonomic, verbal, and behavioral responses of receivers exposed to axillary odors of donors having undergone a positive mood induction procedure or being in a neutral state. Body odors were presented without and with perfume added. A first study using video inductions showed a decreased heart rate and increased performances in creativity tasks in response to ‘positive’ body odors compared to ‘neutral’ ones. A second study aimed at increasing the ecological relevance of our approach, by using virtual reality to induce emotions, and a third one was an at-home experiment involving dyads knowing each other. Overall, the results of these studies suggest that chemical communication of positive emotions exists in humans, and that this phenomenon is subject to variations that are not yet well understood.