The Effect of Odor-Manipulated Context on Hedonic Evaluations and Experience of Literature
The Effect of Odor-Manipulated Context on Hedonic Evaluations and Experience of Literature
Description:
Abstract -- This study examined the proposition that the hedonic context within which literature is read interacts with the hedonic quality of the literature to determine aesthetic evaluation. Hedonic context was manipulated using six positive and six negative odors. The hedonic quality of the literature was manipulated by using different combinations of positive or negative style and positive or negative subject matter. Sixteen males and 16 females read each literary work while being exposed to the odors that were either hedonically congruent or hedonically incongruent with the literature. Following each literature reading, subjects provided their evaluations of both the odor and the literature on a six 7-point scale and an eight 7-point scale respectively. As predicted, all aesthetic evaluations were intensified when the odor context and the literature were hedonically congruent. Gender differences suggested that women were generally more sensitive to congruency effects. The results were interpreted in accordance with prior research and principles in experimental psychology and aesthetics.
Education Levels:
12, Adult/Continuing education, Community College, Higher education
Subject:
Literature, Story Telling, Biological And Life Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, General Science, Human Behavior, Psychology
Resource Type:
Research study
Medium:
JPEG, Text/HTML
Fee Status:
Free
Online provider:
Journal of Young Investigators
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