How the Smell of Fresh Bread Makes Us Kinder

The practice of spreading the aroma of freshly baked bread has many positive effects in the baking, cafe, and even real estate development industries. It attracts customers and enhances the guest experience. There's even more. Scientists believe that the aroma of baked goods makes us more friendly and helpful to strangers. French researchers found that people were more likely to help others when an appetizing aroma was wafting around them. When volunteers dropped something outside a bakery, which was filled with the sweet aroma of bread , 77% of passersby stopped and offered a helping hand. How do pleasant aromas affect attitudes towards strangers? Researchers from the University of Southern Britain reported their findings in the Journal of Social Psychology . Research suggests that certain scents trigger positive moods , which lead to increased levels of altruism , or unconditional concern for the well-being of others. Numerous studies have already shown that pleasant scents can make us happier. A more recent experiment attempted to prove that they also influence something more tangible: attitudes toward strangers. Volunteers pretend to drop something The experts recruited eight young men and women to stand outside a bakery or clothing boutique. They were instructed to pretend to search for something in their bags when they encountered a passing shopper. When they were within a foot of the shopper, they dropped a glove, a pack of tissues, or a cloth scarf. Two researchers observed them simultaneously. The experiment was repeated 400 times. Passersby help out as the juicy smell of baked goods fills the air The test showed that when volunteers dropped items outside a bakery, 77% of bystanders stopped and helped find the item and return it to its owner. Outside a clothing store, only 52% of passersby helped. What effect do pleasant scents have on selfless help? Smells commonly perceived as pleasant can similarly trigger benevolent behavior. Spontaneous help is offered more often in environments with pleasant aromas. This experiment confirms the influence of ambient food odors on benevolent behavior.