Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-11-2025
Abstract
To determine if olfactory primes have an influence on risky behavioral intentions, a study was conducted on college students. Participants (N=64) were primed with the smell of either beer, rubbing alcohol, or a control condition followed by a survey that asked questions related to risk-taking behavior intentions with 5 subscales (ethical, financial, health/safety, recreational, social) as well as sexual risks. It was predicted that college students who are exposed to the smell of beer are more likely to report intentions of engaging in risky behaviors, including unprotected sexual activity. When participants are exposed to the smell of rubbing alcohol, they were predicted to be more cautious. Overall, participants exposed to the beer scent reported greater overall risk-taking intentions, and those especially related to health/ safety, compared to the control condition. The scent of rubbing alcohol also elicited risky behavioral intentions, counter to original predictions. Rubbing alcohol may be confused with other types of liquor. Future studies should explore different types of alcohol and ways to reduce risk-taking among college students in environments where alcohol may be present.
Recommended Citation
Moore, C. A., & Pettijohn, T. F. II. (2025). The Scent of Beer and Rubbing Alcohol on Behavioral Risk Intentions in College Students. J Ment Health Soc Behav 7(2):204. https://doi.org/10.33790/jmhsb1100204. Available at https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/psychology/11/