title: Sequential unfolding of novelty and pleasantness appraisals of odors: evidence from facial electromyography and autonomic reactions.
abstract: We investigated the effects of odors on appraisal processes and consequent emotional responses. The main goal was to test whether an odor is detected as novel or familiar before it is evaluated as pleasant or unpleasant. Participants performed a recognition task in which they were presented with pairs of unpleasant or pleasant odors (sample and target odors). Within a pair, the sample and target were either identical or different to assess participants' novelty detection; unpleasant and pleasant target odors were contrasted to examine participants' appraisal of intrinsic pleasantness. We measured facial expressions using electromyography and physiological reactions using electrocardiogram and electrodermal activity in response to odors. The earliest effects on facial muscles and heart rate occurred in response to novelty detection. Later effects on facial muscles and heart rate were related to pleasantness evaluation. This study is the first to demonstrate the existence of a sequence of appraisal checks for odors eliciting emotional reaction.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva. sylvain.delplanque@unige.ch
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delplanque
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grandjean
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chrea
authors.forename: Géraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coppin
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aymard
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cayeux
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Margot
authors.forename: Maria Inés
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Velazco
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: Klaus R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Scherer
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009812:Odorants; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*