Effect of congruent scent diffusion on individual creative fluidity: Mental imagery instruction and iconic stimulus as possible moderators

Abstract

This research explores the joint role of a diffusion of a scent congruent with the proposed product and two types of stimulation (instruction to imagine mentally and iconic stimulus) in order to improve the resulting individual creativity (in terms of fluidity or quantity of ideas generated).Through two experiments performed on 126 and 442 respondents, respectively, our results highlight the following: (1) The direct and positive effect of a diffusion of a scent congruent with the proposed product on the number of ideas generated. We find no support of mental imagery formation simplicity as a mediator of this relation; (2) The use of a mental imagery instruction reinforces the impact of a congruent scent on the number of ideas generated, whereas a pictorial stimulus does not play a moderating role in the relationship. The two types of stimuli therefore do not produce the same effects. The implications and managerial perspectives, limits and avenues for future research are further discussed.