Method for behavior modification using olfactory stimuli

• US 4,582,492 A
• Filed: 02/19/1985
• Issued: 04/15/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Neumiller, Phillip J., Etter, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skogquist, Harland S.
• Application Number:
  US06/702,718
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 131/270, 252/522 A, 428/905, 434/236, 434/333, 434/346, 434/428, 434/433
• US Class Current: 434/236
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/905 Odor releasing material

Abstract

A method for behavior modification using olfactory stimuli. The method comprises microencapsulating different smelling odors into a patch such that at least one odor is dominant and at least one odor is subservient, placing the patch on a hand associated with the behavior to be modified, scratching the patch when the urge to engage in the behavior to be modified occurs, thereby temporarily releasing the subsurvient odor, smelling the patch with the released subservient odor to act as a stimulus to effect behavior modification, and smelling the patch after the urge to engage in the behavior to be modified passes thereby reinforcing the behavior modification with the dominant odor.

Claims

1. A method for behavior modification using olfactory stimuli, said method comprising:

(a) Microencapsulating different smelling odors into a patch such that at least one odor is dominant and at least one odor is subservient;

(b) Placing said patch on a hand associated with the behavior to be modified;

(c) Scratching said pad when the urge to engage in the behavior to be modified occurs, thereby temporarily releasing said subservient odor;

(d) Smelling said patch with the released subservient odor to act as a stimulus to effect behavior modification, and;

(e) Smelling said patch after the urge to engage in the behavior to be modified passes, thereby reinforcing the behavior modification with said dominant odor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein there is one dominant odor and one subservient odor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said dominant odor is pleasant smelling and said subservient odor is adverse smelling.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said behavior modification is behavior avoidance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said behavior modification is behavior addition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said behavior modification is behavior substitution.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said stimulus is a positive response stimulus.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said stimulus is a negative response stimulus.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said stimulus is a positive, negative, positive response stimulus.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said dominant odors are organic solvent products selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic aroma chemicals and the like.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said subservient odors are organic solvent products selected from the group consisting of natural and synthetic aroma chemicals and the like.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said dominant odor is attractive to women.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said dominant odor is attractive to men.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said dominant odor is selected to be specific to the sex, age, behavior to be modified and socio-economic background of the subject to provide optimal hedonics.