How labels change how enjoyable our experiences feel

Recent research indicates that suggestion not only influences what we smell, but also how we react to smells. In 2005 researchers at Oxford University asked subjects to sniff two odors, one labeled cheddar cheese and the other body odor. Predictably, the subjects rated the body odor as significantly more unpleasant. However, the two smells were identical. Only the labels differed. Consider that the next time you’re enjoying some especially pungent cheese at a cocktail party.

Behavioural principles

Behavioural ideas at play in this post

Short, plain-English explanations of the principles behind this post, with links to related books and examples in the archive.

Affect heuristic

We lean on how something feels when making a fast judgment.

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Processing fluency

Easy-to-process things feel truer, safer, and more appealing.

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Curse of knowledge

Once we know something, it becomes hard to imagine what it feels like not to know it.

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How labels change how enjoyable our experiences feel

Behavioural ideas at play in this post

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