It's easy enough to try priming abstract, rational, far thinking with cool blue colours, Mozart, and by surrounding oneself with books..
I wouldn't use the word rational in that place. Taking action instead of spending a lot of energy in mental analysis is often rational.
but is there any data on scents that nudge peoples' modes of thinking in similar directions? Failing that, is there anecdata?
I would guess that the smell of a library with a lot of books might be able to have an effect for people who spent a lot of time in libraries.
Taking action instead of spending a lot of energy in mental analysis is often rational.
In some cases, yes; but people tend to be willing to take action all on their own quite often anyway. I'm hoping to find something that nudges in the direction of far-mode thinking for those times when it /is/ appropriate to stop and think.
If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.