Performance in a complex task and breathing under odor exposure.
We investigated the influences of odor exposure on performance and on breathing measures. The task was composed of tracking, short-term memory, and peripheral reaction parts. During rest or while performing the task, 12 participants were exposed to 4 different odors in 2 intensities. The higher intensity of the malodors induced a short-term decrement in mean inspiration flow (Vi/Ti) after stimulus onset and impaired performance in the short-term memory task, as compared with control trials; no effect was found for the positively judged odors. The study suggests that a distractor as simple as a bad smell may pull a person off task, however briefly, and may result in a detriment to performance. Actual or potential applications of this research involve designing or securing tasks in such a way that a brief withdrawal of attention does not have fatal consequences.
Danuser
Brigitta
B
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland. brigitta.danuser@hospvd.ch
Moser
Denise
D
Vitale-Sethre
Tanja
T
Hirsig
René
R
Krueger
Helmut
H
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009812:Odorants; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012119:Respiration; D012903:Smell; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis