Presentation Details
| Odors count globally: the number of conscious odor perceptions differs between 17 locations on five continents Aleksandra Reichert1, Thomas Hummel2, Anna Oleszkiewicz1, 2. 1Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.2Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany |
Abstract
Although people around the world perceive odors in broadly similar ways; however, it remains unclear whether they are equally aware of those present in the ambient air. Previous research on odor awareness has predominantly relied on self-report measures. To address this, we conducted a large-scale, global study with the aim of developing a comprehensive, multilevel model that would explain the variability in the frequency of conscious odor perception across geographic regions. This model would incorporate both individual and location-related factors. The study involved specialized chemosensory laboratories from 17 countries worldwide and, for the first time at a global scale, employed a behavioral measure of odor awareness based on odor counting performed 24 hours after the testing session. Our results revealed that location accounted for 15.2% of the variability in odor counts, while individual participant characteristics explained an additional 6.1%. Self-assessed odor awareness significantly predicted the number of consciously perceived odors; however, age, gender, and chemosensory sensitivity were not associated with odor counts. We discuss our findings in the context of previous reports and identify factors that could potentially be incorporated in future investigations to more precisely determine the mechanisms underlying global differences in behavioral odor awareness.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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