Hot or Not Study

Abstract

Multiple studies have investigated how color and sound affect participants’ perceptions and behaviors. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not smell would also influence participant’s perceptions. Sixty male and female undergraduate students attending the University of North Georgia volunteered via the Nerd System for this study. Participants received partial credit toward a course research requirement. Participants were assigned to one of three groups; a neutral smelling room, a room with an unpleasant smell, or one with a pleasant smell. Each group was asked to rate 20 pictures of strangers (10 female, 10 male) based on attractiveness and several other characteristics considered socially desirable in a romantic partner. It was hypothesized that the group in the aversive-smelling room would rate the pictures lower and the group in the pleasant-smelling room would rate the pictures higher than participants in the neutral-smelling room. Results are discussed in terms of increasing productivity and positive affect in social situations.