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Perceptual and Sensorimotor Differences between “Good” and “Poor” Olfactory Mental Imagers
Author(s) -
Rouby Catherine,
Bourgeat Fanny,
Rinck Fanny,
Poncelet Johan,
Bensafi Moustafa
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.03915.x
Subject(s) - odor , perception , psychology , audiology , olfaction , olfactory perception , detection threshold , cognitive psychology , neuroscience , medicine , computer science , real time computing
Like odor perception, odor imagery is characterized by wide variability between individuals. The present two‐part study sought to assess whether this inter‐individual variability is underlain by behavioral differences in actual odor perception. In study 1, subjects judged the intensity, pleasantness, familiarity and edibility of 3 odorants. Participants were split into two olfactory imagery groups (“good” versus “poor” olfactory imagers) according to their scores on an imagery questionnaire. Results showed that good olfactory imagers judged all odors as more familiar and more edible than did poor olfactory imagers. Study 2 sought to determine whether these effects derived from a particular strategy of reenacting olfactomotor responses to smells on the part of good olfactory imagers, by recording their sniffs during odor perception. Results revealed that good olfactory imagers sniffed all odors longer and, again, judged these same odors as more edible and familiar. This supports the hypothesis of more complete odor processing and better access to odor semantics in good olfactory imagers.