How people identify scents and perceive their pleasantness
In a new JNeurosci paper, Masako Okamoto and colleagues, from the University of Tokyo, explored the brain activity involved in smelling odors.
Nov 17, 2025
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Psychological Phenomena: News and Research on Olfactory Perception
MeSH tree: F02.463.593.485
Humans can distinguish odors with millisecond precision, study shows
When we inhale, airborne chemicals enter our nose, creating the "odor" we detect. These chemicals are then expelled when we exhale. Each breath lasts 3–5 seconds, which seems to limit how quickly we can perceive odors. Chemical ...
Oct 14, 2024
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Study shows sense of smell is influenced by cues from other senses
The sense of smell is highly influenced by the cues from other senses, while the sense of sight and hearing are affected to a much lesser extent, shows a new study in Journal of Neuroscience, titled "Olfactory categorization ...
Apr 5, 2024
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The anticipation of a social encounter encourages us to attribute more positive physical features to strangers
A new Tel Aviv University study reveals an intriguing phenomenon for the first time: the anticipation of social interactions and the desire to cultivate strong friendships with people in our midst can sometimes subconsciously ...
Aug 14, 2023
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Astrocyte processing of serotonin shown to regulate olfactory perception
To enjoy the scent of morning coffee and freshly baked cookies or to perceive the warning smell of something burning, the brain needs two types of cells, neurons and astrocytes, to work closely with each other. Research has ...
Jun 15, 2023
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