Smell is cultural, hence it is a social and historical phenomenon. Questions like these mean that interest in the psychology of smell is inevitably set to play an increasingly important role for researchers.į However, smell is not simply a biological and psychological phenomenon. Other unanswered questions are whether the nose is the only part of the body affected by odours, and how smells can be measured objectively given the nonphysical components. Researchers have still to decide whether smell is one sense or two - one responding to odours proper and the other registering odourless chemicals in the air. Significant advances have been made in the understanding of the biological and chemical nature of olfaction, but many fundamental questions have yet to be answered. This has implications for olfactory research.Į Most of the research on smell undertaken to date has been of a physical scientific nature. Nor can odours be recorded: there is no effective way to either capture or store them over time In the realm of olfaction, we must make do with descriptions and recollections. ,' we have to say when describing an odour, struggling to express our olfactory experience. Odours, unlike colours, for instance, cannot be named in many languages because the specific vocabulary simply doesn't exist. Our noses are able to recognise thousands of smells, and to perceive odours which are present only in extremely small quantities.ĭ Smell, however, is a highly elusive phenomenon. While it is true that the olfactory powers of humans are nothing like as fine as those possessed by certain animals, they are still remarkably acute. The reason often given for the low regard in which smell is held is that, in comparison with its importance among animals, the human sense of smell is feeble and undeveloped. Most of the subjects would probably never have given much thought to odour as a cue for identifying family members before being involved in the test, but as the experiment revealed, even when not consciously considered, smells register.Ĭ In spite of its importance to our emotional and sensory lives, smell is probably the most undervalued sense in many cultures. In one well-known test, women and men were able to distinguish by smell alone clothing worn by their marriage partners from similar clothing worn by other people. In fact, infants recognise the odours of their mothers soon after birth and adults can often identify their children or spouses by scent. One respondent to the survey believed that there is no true emotional bonding without touching and smelling a loved one. The perception of smell, therefore, consists not only of the sensation of the odours themselves, but of the experiences and emotions associated with them.ī Odours are also essential cues in social bonding. Such associations can be powerful enough so that odours that we would generally label unpleasant become agreeable, and those that we would generally consider fragrant become disagreeable for particular individuals. Respondents to the survey noted that many of their olfactory likes and dislikes were based on emotional associations. A scent associated with a good experience can bring a rush of joy, while a foul odour or one associated with a bad memory may make us grimace with disgust. It became apparent that smell can evoke strong emotional responses. It is only when the faculty of smell is impaired for some reason that we begin to realise the essential role the sense of smell plays in our sense of well-being.Ī A survey conducted by Anthony Synott at Montreal's Concordia University asked participants to comment on how important smell was to them in their lives. For the most part, however, we breathe in the aromas which surround us without being consciously aware of their importance to us. Odours affect us on a physical, psychological and social level. The sense of smell, or olfaction, is powerful.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |