Perceptual and Sensorimotor Differences between Good and Poor Olfactory Mental Imagers

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.