In order to test whether smells were more conducive to vivid aversive memories, as compared to other senses, researchers had participants watch a twelve-minute showing aversive footage such as road traffic accidents, human surgeries, and part of a documentary about the Rwandan genocide, among other things. While participants were watching this, other stimuli were presented in the background. For the olfactory stimulus, Cassis was used (a fruity smell akin to blackcurrant) as it was shown to be a relatively neutral yet noticeable scent in other studies. For the visual stimulus, different colors of light were projected behind the computer monitor on which the participants were watching the film. Finally, background music was played during the film for the auditory stimulus. Participants were exposed simultaneously to all conditions.<\/p>\n
Then, about a week later, participants were called back and randomly selected to one of three sensory conditions: auditory, olfactory, or visual. Each group was presented with their respective stimulus, and asked to reflect on the video. The researchers found that memories evoked by a smell were significantly less pleasant and were more detailed than those evoked by music, however there seemed to be no difference in olfactory and visual stimulus.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/c3133272.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com\/harris-proustpart.jpg\")
A cartoon of Marcel Proust<\/p><\/div>\n
These findings, while not completely unexpected, confirm the Proust effect in relation to aversive memories. Smells can bring back more detailed, vivid, and specific traumatic memories than other types of modality cues. This is especially concerning for veterans returning from war, but can be helpful for their friends and families in helping not accidentally setting off triggers. For instance, buying a car that runs on diesel might not be the best choice for a partner who worked closely with tanks.<\/p>\n
These types of memory are examples of implicit<\/em> memory. Kvavilashvili and Mandler (2004) coined the term \u201cmind pops\u201d to describe involuntary semantic memories\u2014meaning an unrelated memory that comes into your mind out of the blue. Implicit memory is preserved during amnesia, meaning that even for veterans with head trauma, these memories may persist and continue to be triggered.<\/p>\nThe Proust effect can also be related to how memories are processed. Information is encoded differently depending on the setting. While many studies have looked at how being in a setting similar to that of the memory can help retrieval, less is known about which senses help retrieval. The Proust phenomenon shows how mind pops and transfer appropriate settings come together.<\/p>\n
In summary, the Proust phenomenon can show itself in many forms, be it something pleasant like the smell of cookies to remind you of your childhood, or something sinister such as PTSD memories.<\/p>\n
References:<\/p>\n
Kvavilashvili, L., & Mandler, G. (2004). Out of one’s mind: A study of involuntary semantic memories. Cognitive Psychology<\/em>, 48(1), 47-94. doi:10.1016\/S0010-0285(03)00115-4<\/p>\nLombion, S., Bechetoille, B., Nezelof, S., & Millot, J. (2010). Odor perception in alexithymic patients. Psychiatry Research<\/em>, 177(1-2), 135-138. doi:10.1016\/j.psychres.2009.01.018<\/p>\nToffolo, M. J., Smeets, M. M., & van den Hout, M. A. (2012). Proust revisited: Odours as triggers of aversive memories. Cognition And Emotion<\/em>, 26(1), 83-92. doi:10.1080\/02699931.2011.555475<\/p>\nImages:<\/p>\n
http:\/\/zesterdaily.com\/people\/right-brain-eating-and-proust\/<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.sensoryco4d.com\/company\/samples-turned-scenting\/<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.recipeshubs.com\/baked-chocolate-chip-cookies\/36803<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Has a smell ever made you remember a specific event or time in your life? A lot of people tend to equate the smell of fresh baked cookies with their childhood. For me, the smell of a burning woodstove transports me to snowy days growing up in Vermont. Odors have the exceptional ability to instantaneously […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5707,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[80215],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2020"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5707"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2020"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2020\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3722,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2020\/revisions\/3722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"chocolate-chip-cookies-216\"](\"http:\/\/web.colby.edu\/cogblog\/files\/2015\/11\/chocolate-chip-cookies-216-580x391.jpg\")
A lot of people tend to equate the smell of fresh baked cookies with their childhood. For me, the smell of a burning woodstove transports me to snowy days growing up in Vermont. Odors have the exceptional ability to instantaneously trigger vivid autobiographical memories\u2014a phenomenon referred to as the Proust effect.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.sensoryco4d.com\/company\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Olfactory-processing.png\")
<\/p>\n