Evidence that phenomenal olfactory content exceeds what can later be accessed.
Richard J Stevenson, Mehmet Mahmut
Consciousness and cognition November 1, 2014 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2014.09.012 via PubMed
Summary
Visual experience contains more information than can be later reported, and this study tested whether the same distinction occurs for smell. In two experiments, participants rated odor features (e.g., how banana-like) while smelling and again after the odor was removed. Some trials used identical rating profiles; others used different profiles. Results showed that inconsistent profiles produced the least reliable ratings. Accessing specific odor features after the odor is gone is harder if those features were not attended during smelling, indicating that more information is available during smelling than can be accessed afterward.
Study at a glance
| Design | experimental study |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Attempting to access particular odor features after the odor is removed is harder if those features were not attended during smelling, suggesting more information is available during smelling than can be accessed afterward. |
Abstract
Visual experience is information rich, but only a small proportion is available for later access. We tested for this distinction in olfaction. In two experiments (E1&2), participants undertook trials rating an odor's features (e.g., how banana-like?), the during-smelling-profile, followed by an after-smelling-profile, upon the odor's removal. On some trials during and after-smelling-profiles were identical and on others they were different. Each trial with a particular odor was repeated. For half the odors both trials were identical (congruent) and for the remainder, one was different and the other identical (incongruent). Crucially, the after-smelling-profile was always the same for each odor, allowing reliability to be measured. E1&2 revealed that incongruent profiles were the least reliable. Attempting to access particular odor features in an odor's absence is harder if those features were not attended during smelling. This suggests more information is available during smelling, than can be accessed after the odors removal.