The capacity of humans to identify odors in mixtures

doi:10.1016/0031-9384(89)90041-3

Physiology & Behavior

Volume 46, Issue 5, November 1989, Pages 809-814

https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(89)90041-3 Get rights and content

Abstract

One hundred and twenty-three subjects were given the task of identifying the constituents of stimuli consisting of 1–5 odorants. The highest level of identification occurred with single odors and few subjects correctly identified the constituents of mixtures. Since the stimuli were common, dissimilar odors, the results suggest that the capacity of humans to process information about odors perceived simultaneously may be limited, or that odors in mixtures blend to form a new odor with few of the characteristics of the constituent odors.

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Citation Excerpt :
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ArticleThe capacity of humans to identify odors in mixtures

Abstract

Brain Res Bull.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Physiol. Behav.

Prog. Neurobiol.

Physiol. Behav.

Brain Res.

Psychophysical studies of taste mixtures

Early stage processing of odor mixtures

Ann. NY Acad. Sci.

Article
The capacity of humans to identify odors in mixtures