Elsevier

Physiology & Behavior

Volume 19, Issue 6, December 1977, Pages 795-802
Physiology & Behavior

Olfactory intensity-difference thresholds in rats and humans

https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(77)90317-1Get rights and content

Abstract

Olfactory intensity difference limens were determined for 3 rats and 4 humans using a modified ascending method-of-limits procedure. A 0.01% solution of amyl acetate served as the standard stimulus. The mean Weber fraction (ΔII) for human subjects (0.315) was significantly greater than that obtained for rats (0.041). The data provide the first direct comparisons of olfactory sensitivity in a macrosmatic and a microsmatic species.

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We thank David Sommers and Nellie Bugbee for assistance in training animals, and William Hodos and Scott Parker for their valuable suggestions regarding the experimental design and analysis of the data.

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