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Demographic and Geographical Determinants of Human Olfactory Perception of 909 Individuals Inhabiting 16 Regions
The hedonic perception of odors is similar worldwide. However, our perception of smells is much more than just determining whether an odor is pleasant or not. Here, we expanded this assessment by recruiting 909 people from 16 regions of the world and measuring 12 perceptual dimensions (e.g., pleasantness, intensity, edibility), which were aggregated into an olfactory perceptual fingerprint. We used two fingerprints: descriptor-specific and odor-specific. Age, gender, and region explained 1.1%, 0.3%, and 9.6% of variance in the descriptor-specific fingerprints, respectively. Similarly, age, gender, and region explained 0.5%, 0.3%, and 8.2% of variance in the odor-specific fingerprints. Interestingly, odor intensity was more regionally dependent than pleasantness. Thus, olfactory perception across the globe may be better differentiated by odor intensity than pleasantness. Although there is some influence of individual and cultural backgrounds, human perception of odors appears to be quite similar worldwide, even when assessed using 12 perceptual dimensions. Highlights Olfactory perception of 909 people from 16 regions was evaluated Human perception of odors appears to be quite similar worldwide Olfactory perception worldwide is better differentiated by intensity than hedonics Age and gender had a limited impact on individual perception of odors
Read moreNature and Human Well-Being: The Olfactory Pathway
Figure 1. Conceptual framework of the pathway from exposure to natural olfactory environments to human well-being. The olfactory environment is characterized by the concentrations and ratios of airborne chemicals. Dimensions of olfactory function (i.e., sensitivity, discrimination, and identification) are influenced by a variety of individual and environmental factors, which together moderate olfactory perception. Subjective experience is a mediator through which olfactory perceptions lead to well-being outcomes. Relevant determinants of this experience include individual preference, culture, association, prior experience, and multisensory context. Other pathways to well-being include those that occur below the threshold of perception (i.e., subthreshold) and those that occur via initial affective responses that are suprathreshold but independent of top-down processes related to subjective experience. These components lead to a variety of well-being outcomes, from broader dimensions such as quality of and satisfaction with life, to emotional responses and emotion regulation, cognitive function, influences on behavior (social interactions and dietary choices), stress, depressive symptoms, (anti-)inflammatory processes, and effects from exposures to pathogens. Together, these outcomes are the result of subthreshold biochemical processes, initial affective responses, and subjective appraisals of odors from nature. A variety of other pathways mediate the relationship between olfactory environments and human well-being, although they are not illustrated here. Credit: University of Washington The world is undergoing massive atmospheric and ecological change, driving unprecedented challenges to human well-being. Olfaction is a key sensory system through which these impacts occur. The sense of smell influences quality of and satisfaction with life, emotion, emotion regulation, cognitive function, social interactions, dietary choices, stress, and depressive symptoms. Exposures via the olfactory pathway can also lead to (anti-)inflammatory outcomes. Increased understanding is needed regarding the ways in which odorants generated by nature (i.e., natural olfactory environments) affect human well-being. With perspectives from a range of health, social, and natural sciences, we provide an overview of this unique sensory system, four consensus statements regarding olfaction and the environment, and a conceptual framework that integrates the olfactory pathway into an understanding of the effects of natural environments on human well-being. We then discuss how this framework can contribute to better accounting of the impacts of policy and land-use decision-making on natural olfactory environments and, in turn, on planetary health. Related Media How the smells of nature can affect human well-being (May 29, 2024) How do the smells of nature affect well-being? A call for more research. (May 23, 2024) Nature’s scents linked to improved health and well-being (May 16, 2024)
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