Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness

It turns out that cleanliness is next to godliness. (See Science Daily article.) Or at least, clean scents appear to entice people to engage in more ethical behavior. They become more fair and charitable.

The article points out that past research has found a correlation between moral choices and physical cleanliness.

Researchers think that this knowledge might be useful in business and institutional settings. They note that businesses sometimes employ heavy handed techniques to regulate behavior, when relatively inexpensive cleanliness and appropriate aromas might do the trick.

It is also suggested that cleanliness could be useful in our homes. Of course, that’s nothing new. For generations parents have nagged their kids to keep their rooms clean on the premise that doing so is somehow good for their souls. Parents have instinctively known about this linkage for millennia.