Study on Individual Differences in the Influence of Indoor Odor Environment on Thermal Perception

• Odors’ impact on thermal sensation shows gender and odor preference differences. • Women exhibit higher odor sensitivity, but their TSV is less influenced by odors. • Peppermint-likers shows lower odor sensitivity but higher change in TSV. • Odors affect human thermal sensation, mainly in subjective perception. The impact of scents on humans is multifaceted, and existing research has found that certain specific odors can evoke sensations of cold or warm. However, current research on the effect of odors on thermal perception has not comprehensively analyzed individual differences. Therefore, this study selected peppermint and dry ginger as olfactory stimuli to examine their effects on thermal sensation and to analyze the associated gender and odor preference differences. The results indicated that women had greater scent sensitivity, while the scents had a greater influence on the TSV and TCV of male participants. Additionally, the participants who disliked peppermint demonstrated higher sensitivity to the odor, while individuals who prefer peppermint showed more pronounced changes in TSV and TCV when exposed to the scent. Even though these scents have an impact on individuals' subjective thermal sensation, this influence is scarcely reflected in changes in their physiological parameters. The findings reveal that the effect of odors on thermal perception varies among individuals, highlighting the necessity for personalized regulation in indoor scent environment design. This study provides preliminary insights into personalized aroma adjustment and lays the groundwork for expanding research in this direction across diverse application scenarios.