The Link between Attachment Style and Self-Reported Olfactory Ability: A Preliminary Investigation
Individuals in healthy romantic relationships gain significant benefits to their psychological wellbeing and physiological health. Notably, the majority of relationship research has focused on how adult attachment influences these relationship outcomes while the role of olfaction remains an emerging...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/10/1367 |
| _version_ | 1797515150956167168 |
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| author | Amy Shell Anna Blomkvist Mehmet K. Mahmut |
| author_facet | Amy Shell Anna Blomkvist Mehmet K. Mahmut |
| author_sort | Amy Shell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Individuals in healthy romantic relationships gain significant benefits to their psychological wellbeing and physiological health. Notably, the majority of relationship research has focused on how adult attachment influences these relationship outcomes while the role of olfaction remains an emerging research focus. The aim of the current study was to bring together these seemingly unrelated factors–attachment and olfaction–in an online quasi-experimental design. The participants were 401 undergraduate students, predominantly females, ranging in age from 17 to 70 years. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires that evaluated their attachment tendencies, olfactory ability and experiences in romantic relationships. Results indicated that attachment insecurity, across both attachment anxiety and avoidance, was associated with decreased olfactory functioning for females. These findings provide preliminary evidence that olfaction is related to romantic relationship maintenance and suggests that body odors could be fundamental for evoking the attachment system. These findings also elicit enticing new avenues of research which can assist psychologists to provide targeted treatments to individuals with olfactory deficits and insecure attachment tendencies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:41:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-728b796547e146b5a2896df52f6fba90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:41:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-728b796547e146b5a2896df52f6fba902023-11-22T17:38:07ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252021-10-011110136710.3390/brainsci11101367The Link between Attachment Style and Self-Reported Olfactory Ability: A Preliminary InvestigationAmy Shell0Anna Blomkvist1Mehmet K. Mahmut2Food, Flavour and Fragrance Lab, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, AustraliaDepartment of Psychology, Stockholm University, 11419 Stockholm, SwedenFood, Flavour and Fragrance Lab, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, AustraliaIndividuals in healthy romantic relationships gain significant benefits to their psychological wellbeing and physiological health. Notably, the majority of relationship research has focused on how adult attachment influences these relationship outcomes while the role of olfaction remains an emerging research focus. The aim of the current study was to bring together these seemingly unrelated factors–attachment and olfaction–in an online quasi-experimental design. The participants were 401 undergraduate students, predominantly females, ranging in age from 17 to 70 years. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires that evaluated their attachment tendencies, olfactory ability and experiences in romantic relationships. Results indicated that attachment insecurity, across both attachment anxiety and avoidance, was associated with decreased olfactory functioning for females. These findings provide preliminary evidence that olfaction is related to romantic relationship maintenance and suggests that body odors could be fundamental for evoking the attachment system. These findings also elicit enticing new avenues of research which can assist psychologists to provide targeted treatments to individuals with olfactory deficits and insecure attachment tendencies.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/10/1367attachmentolfactory abilityolfactionromantic relationshipsbody odors |
| spellingShingle | Amy Shell Anna Blomkvist Mehmet K. Mahmut The Link between Attachment Style and Self-Reported Olfactory Ability: A Preliminary Investigation Brain Sciences attachment olfactory ability olfaction romantic relationships body odors |
| title | The Link between Attachment Style and Self-Reported Olfactory Ability: A Preliminary Investigation |
| title_full | The Link between Attachment Style and Self-Reported Olfactory Ability: A Preliminary Investigation |
| title_fullStr | The Link between Attachment Style and Self-Reported Olfactory Ability: A Preliminary Investigation |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Link between Attachment Style and Self-Reported Olfactory Ability: A Preliminary Investigation |
| title_short | The Link between Attachment Style and Self-Reported Olfactory Ability: A Preliminary Investigation |
| title_sort | link between attachment style and self reported olfactory ability a preliminary investigation |
| topic | attachment olfactory ability olfaction romantic relationships body odors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/10/1367 |
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