Is your nose dictating your social circle? Study reveals surprising link between scent and friendship

The research led by V Zayas (Cornell University), J.M. Gaby (Middle Tennessee State University), and G Gunaydin (Sabanci University), stated that friendship develops from a person’s personal preferences about their social circle, and it also includes various sensory cues.

What are findings of the study?

The study was conducted on forty female participants between 18-30 years old (average age 21). Each of these participants had their photographs taken and were given a cotton T-shirt to wear for 12 hours of the day, while continuing with their daily activities and personal hygiene. Then they were asked to the other participants based on their photographs and the potential of developing a friendship with them. They were also asked to smell their T-shirts, followed by a four-minute chat with them.

After the interaction, they were asked to smell their T-shirts again and reevaluate their friendship potential. Their evaluations were observed to have changed significantly.

Th study challenges the notion about first impressions, suggesting that while we interact with a person, our noses might be silently picking up cues and altering our decisions based on who we should befriend and who we should stay away from. Also read | Friendship Day 2024: Tips to reconnect with the friends you lost along the way

Study author Vivian Zayas from Cornell University, in a statement said, “People take a lot in when they’re meeting face to face. But scent — which people are registering at some level, though probably not consciously — forecasts whether you end up liking this person.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.