Startle reflex modulation by pleasant and unpleasant odors in a between-subjects design.
Participants were presented with an acoustic startle probe while they smelled either a pleasant odor or an unpleasant odor (n = 40 per condition). Within each condition, participants were presented with four blocks in which odor was present and four in which odor was not present (no-odor control). Significant differences were found in both conditions between the odor and no-odor blocks. In the unpleasant odor condition, blink magnitude was greater during the odor blocks; in the pleasant odor condition, blink magnitude was smaller during the odor blocks.
Ehrlichman
H
H
Department of Psychology, Queens College, Flushing, NY 11367-1597, USA. ehrlichm@qcvaxa.acc.qc.edu
Kuhl
S B
SB
Zhu
J
J
Warrenburg
S
S
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001944:Breath Tests; D004576:Electromyography; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009812:Odorants; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*