Olfactory discomfort as a process of collective attachment

Varia
By François-Joseph Daniel
English

This article focuses on the perceptual, cognitive, and attentional processes by which the feeling of discomfort circulates across space and time in a context of environmental nuisance. It explores the case of odorous industrial nuisances to illustrate how the feeling of discomfort is a reflexive process of attachment to an undesired object (i.e., bad smells). The meticulous examination of this process shows that the attachment relation is rooted in a collective dynamic in which the attention paid to environmental nuisance shifts from indifference to obsession. This socio-sensorial dynamic leads to the construction of a genuine community of affects.

Keywords

  • Olfaction
  • Environmental annoyance
  • Attachment
  • Quale
  • Odorous nuisances
  • Affect entrepreneurs
Go to the article on Cairn-int.info