Scientists from the University of Liverpool in England discovered that the sense of smell affects the color perception of the visual organs. Additionally, a person often associates a particular smell with certain colors. In this respect reports EurekAlert.
24 people aged between 20 and 57 participated in the experiment. During the study, participants took turns entering a room and sitting in front of a screen. There were no sensory stimuli or foreign odors in the room. The subjects were also asked not to use deodorant or perfume before starting the experiment.
Once a volunteer entered the room, one of six scents (caramel, cherry, coffee, lemon, water or mint) filled the room using an ultrasonic diffuser. The participant was then presented with a randomly colored square on the screen. The subject had to change the displayed color to neutral gray using two sliders. The procedure was repeated six times until a new scent appeared in the room.
The results showed that participants moved the sliders too much when exposed to different odors and were unable to color the square on the screen a neutral gray color. For example, when presented with the scent of coffee, subjects unconsciously chose gray, which contained some brown. After smelling the caramel, participants often adjusted the sliders so that the screen showed a gray-blue color.
Mint scents (all volunteers unconsciously chose different shades) and water scents were exceptions because all participants were able to adjust the screen to display a neutral gray.
The authors explained that color perception depends not only on the organs of vision, but also on the sense of smell. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not yet understood, but scientists hope to continue investigating.
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Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.