New research: Lavender aroma promotes interpersonal trust
A 2015 controlled study of 90 healthy young adults investigated whether trust can be influenced by an environmental fragrance. The hypothesis was that a calming scent will induce a more inclusive state of mind, and therefore increase the level of trust.
The participants performed The Trust Game, in which trust is measured by the amount of money a person is willing to transfer to the other person. (find more about The Trust Game here: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Bestiary_of_Behavioral_Economics/Trust_Game)
The experiment took place in a space where either Lavender or Peppermint was diffused, and the control group was placed in an unscented environment. Compared to peppermint and control (no aroma), being exposed to lavender aroma increased interpersonal trust by 22%.
Peppermint aroma did not decrease the level of trust, compared to the control group.
So the next time you need to negotiate a loan, you may want to use lavender as your personal fragrance.Or perhaps a different calming essential oil. However, make sure the fragrance is not too strong, as other research suggests overpowering scents can have the opposite effect in interview situations.
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