The Hidden Power of Smell by Paul A. Moore

Author:Paul A. Moore
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Cham

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016

Paul A. MooreThe Hidden Power of Smell10.1007/978-3-319-15651-4_6

6. The Cocktail Party of Life

The Chemical Conch Shell

Paul A. Moore1

(1)Laboratory for Sensory Ecology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA

During my morning writing rituals at the bakery where my creativity ebbs and flows, I often find myself totally engrossed in my craft such that the only thing I am consciously aware of outside of my writing is my pumpkin muffin and occasionally the background music. Then there are those moments that my muses leave me and my writing comes to a crashing standstill. During these times, I turn to observe other customers who frequent the bakery each morning. By allowing my mind to wander from the writing at hand, I become captivated by the social interactions of those around me.

As a consequence of my scientific curiosity, I find it fascinating to observe individuals interacting with one another. One of the more interesting aspects of observing humans is social behavior, particularly the subtle, nonverbal ways in which people communicate. I can notice changes in body postures, slight differences in the tone of voices, and even changes in facial expressions. Apart from the actual words spoken during these interactions, these other nonverbal forms of communication can provide a wealth of information about the relationship between the people speaking, their emotions, and maybe hidden meanings behind the words they are using.

Coffee houses and bakery really serve two purposes; the most obvious one is to sell drinks and pastries to waiting customers. Secondary is the atmosphere and community that is built allowing the majority of people at the bakery, the ability to socialize with others. Quite often several individuals from the University gather for a morning meeting over coffee and bagels. A corner of the bakery is occasionally inhabited by a small group of older women that always seem to be having an enjoyable morning. Other people spread papers out covering the entire surface of the table. Once the papers are in place and the coffee is purchased, a conversation ensues that appears to be of a great deal of importance to the participants.

True to my scientific curiosity, I catch bits and pieces of their discussion and study their interactions. I try to reconstruct conversations by studying the subtle body postures and hand gestures of the speakers. I study their facial expressions and where their eyes are gravitating. The tone of their voice is also a continual clue that allows me the opportunity to attempt to piece together the social meaning of these interactions.

The real meanings or purposes of these meetings are, of course, beyond my knowledge. I know that, quite independent of the intended purpose of the gathering, there are social interactions occurring at a level that is deeper than just the words that are spoken. At one meeting, a tall gentleman dressed in a dark blue business suit with a red tie is clearly dominating the proceedings. Even from a distance, the person in charge of this meeting can be gleaned from the appearance of his power suit and tie.

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