A recent report by National Geographic says that people with a better sense of smell are more sympathetic. We know animals can smell fear, but can you smell the difference between a stranger and your roommate?
According to the study done by co-author Denise Chen from Rice University in Texas, the answer is yes. Researchers began the study with 22 pairs of women living in college dorms. The women were asked to sleep in identical t-shirts for one night. After one night, the women were presented with three shirts – including the one worn by a roommate – and asked to smell for the shirt belonging to her roommate. The final step in the process was for each woman to participate in emotional sensitivity tests, which yielded the study’s conclusions. Those who accurately identified her roommate also tended to receive a higher score on the emotional tests. The British Psychological Society’s Research Digest Blog also provides a summary of the study, and notes the researchers to say, “…that sociochemical signals may tap into a broader network of social cognition and emotion, and that similar underlying mechanisms may regulate sociochemosensory and emotional competencies.”
The point of the study was to show that those with a better sense of smell are more aware of emotional cues. Roommate relationships can benefit from this fact and make living situations better for all parties involved. WilliamPaid’s resident Clinical and Sports Psychologist, Dr. Jeffrey Fishbein, touched on this a few months back when he wrote “Ways to Build a Good Roommate Relationship.” In the post he summarized 5 things that can improve a roommate relationship, each having to do with emotional cues.
1. Be supportive of your roommate.
2. Be aware of the impact that your behavior has on your roommates feelings.
3. Have compassion for your roommate’s mistakes and weaknesses.
4. Avoid being selfish and self-centered.
5. Avoid neglecting your relationship with your roommate.
Whether you and your roommate have just moved in together or are going strong on your third year as apartment dwellers, don’t lose your sensitivity chip. Sniff out a situation for the appropriate cues. Ladies, you have the upper hand since scientists found you have a stronger sense of smell than men. Guys, if you’ve had one too many roommate quarrels, it might be time to step up your sniffing game.
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