They include smells such as suntan lotion, crayon, Vicks VapoRub and baby powder - frequently encountered during childhood and not much thereafter. She came to Brown in July, following in the research path of intellectual mentor and professor emeritus Trygg Engen. People generally do not give much thought to their sense of smell beyond the pungent odor of a skunk or of bread baking. Given the choice to lose a big toe or the sense of smell, said Herz, the responses are split down the middle. But those who lose their sense of smell because of accident or illness also report a loss of emotional richness and, over time, a loss of emotional intensity toward life, according to Herz.
Experiences are flatter, they report.
H erz studies many components of scent-triggered memories. Researchers know that odors don't trigger memories that are any more accurate than the memories triggered by other stimuli, but odors do trigger memories that are more emotional. For example, a person may have no emotional reaction to seeing a photo of a loved one who died. Perhaps an occupational hazard, Herz has become very aware of smells. Part of the reason may be that Herz first encountered the smell as a child while driving through the country with her parents, and was not given any cue that it was a negative smell.