Participant Field Feedback Intervention 2-The 3-Day “Mobile Sensory Companion” Field Probe

Profile: Golden Osmanthus, Roasted Oolong & Mountain Cedar

Scent Formulation:A hybrid formulation that uses a dry, non-intrusive woody base to encourage physiological down-regulation and somatic grounding in public settings while combining top notes of sweet, culturally identifiable golden osmanthus with a base of warm, slightly bitter roasted oolong tea and grounding mountain cedar. This profile provides cultural resonance to trigger autobiographical belonging.

1. Participant A

• Context & Trigger: Evening rush-hour Tube commute combined with studio review stress; acute claustrophobia, noise, and cognitive overload.
• Interaction & Feedback:“My Labubu’s hard vinyl face, soft, plush ears, and layers of fabric created a dynamic tactile contrast for my fingers. Suffocating in the stuffy, hot carriage, I reached into my coat pocket, grasped its soft ears, and leaned down to take a breath. The deeper roasted tea and cedar foundation swiftly lowered my heartbeat, while the first osmanthus note instantly brought back memories of familiar fall streets back home. Amidst the surrounding turmoil, the smell functioned as an imperceptible protective bubble, remaining entirely private and self-contained.”

2. Participant B

• Context & Trigger: Navigating a fluorescent-lit, sterile supermarket alone after work; sudden social exhaustion and spatial alienation.
• Interaction & Feedback:“The dog charm is fluffy and airy. I immediately reached down to rub its textured fur and bring it closer to smell while I stood in a long checkout line beneath buzzing fluorescent lighting. The store’s icy, mechanical detachment was broken by the delicate combination of sweet tea and dry cedar. It served as an instantaneous physical grounding switch, stabilizing my posture and promoting relaxation before I left again.”

3. Participant C

• Context & Trigger: Dining alone in a noisy, fast-paced Asian restaurant; experiencing acute homesickness and social self-consciousness.
• Interaction & Feedback:“I frequently feel awkward and self-conscious when dining by myself at a busy restaurant. I was able to trace the furry limbs of the rabbit and smell the aroma of tea and wood by placing it near to my drink. The sweet osmanthus undertone brought back memories of family dinners at home, while the roasted oolong accent mixed in well with the overall restaurant aromas. An indifferent metal table became an anchor of familiarity thanks to that tactile, fragrant buddy.”

4. Participant D

• Context & Trigger: Fast-paced social gathering with international peers; cognitive fatigue from colloquial second-language processing and social anxiety.
• Interaction & Feedback:“My mental capacity was totally depleted trying to keep up with slang and quick banter during the board game. I kept the stuffed animal on my lap beneath the table. I grounded myself by rubbing its soft ears between my thumb and forefinger and inhaling the faint cedar-tea aroma. It provided me with the precise nonverbal solidity I required to stay present, yet it never extended outward to disrupt other people at the table.”

5. Participant E

• Context & Trigger: Walking home alone late at night under cold London drizzle after overtime; experiencing sharp spatial disorientation and isolation.
• Interaction & Feedback:“My fingers felt instant tactile relief when I reached back to touch the soft, fuzzy charm in my stiff, heavy rucksack. The roasted tea base and the crisp, woodsy cedar notes pierced the chilly, damp nite air. Instead of making me feel alone on a deserted street, the aroma had a natural sense of warmth and structure, reminiscent of my home’s mountain trails, which enabled me to walk steadily and resiliently.”

6. Participant F

• Object Used: StellaLou Ballet Bunny Plush resting on a table in a university study lounge
• Context & Trigger: Drafting an essay late into the night in an empty, institutional student accommodation common room; experiencing physical neck stiffness and acute isolation.
• Interaction & Feedback:“Velvet ears provided a tactile transition that relieved my hands of the repetitive strain of typing.” The aroma of cedar, oolong, and osmanthus created a soft, personal circle around my laptop. It didn’t fill the space, but leaning down to breathe in the well-known tea-flower scents gave me the confidence I needed to finish my work by softening the institutional lounge’s sterile chill.”

Unified Scent Testing’s Key Action Research Findings

Dual Synergy of Cultural Recall and Somatic Grounding: Using a single profile in a variety of public settings (such as study halls, supermarkets, restaurants, and transit) revealed that dual-sensory comfort works best through complementary mechanisms: the solid woody base offers non-intrusive somatic stability, while the floral tea top notes evoke comforting cultural memories of home.

Discreet, Passive Public Feasibility: Passive solid-state diffusion demonstrated functional viability in all six testing conditions. Participants were able to reach personal comfort without forcing their scent into common social areas since the perfume stayed close and private.